Broken Wings Part 1
by Vinja Ryou
Summary: .:07-30 - Ch 9 is up!:. Aerith and Reilena Gainsborough were two girls living in the slums of Midgar...until a blonde young man fell into their lives, changing their perspective of Midgar and the ShinRa Corporation.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Aerith Gainsborough, Cloud, Tifa, Zak, Sephiroth, and everyone else in the Final Fantasy VII universe are (c) to SquareSoft/SquareEnix. Reilena Gainsborough is (c) Vinja Ryou, since she is my self-created character in the FFVII world.

**A/N:** The prologue takes place five years before the events of FFVII. Yes, and I play around with creative liberties muchly, so if something seems screwy, blame my imagination. Teeheehee.

* * *

**Prologue**  
  
"Aren't you ready _yet_?" she called, folding her arms and tapping her heel. "Other people live here too, y'know!"  
  
"Give me thirty more seconds, I promise!" a voice called from within the washroom. Rolling her eyes, the young woman glanced over at the clock on the wall, counting to herself. Sure enough, in thirty seconds' time the washroom door opened, and her jaw dropped.   
  
"Wow…Aerith, you look like a princess." Aerith Gainsborough giggled shyly, tucking a strand of chocolate-brown hair behind her ear. The simple gown she wore was a pale rose shade, complementing her skin tone; her long hair was pulled up in a regular ponytail and tied back with a matching ribbon, and a few strands floated around her face to accentuate her aquamarine eyes. A simple silver bracelet on each wrist, silver chain, and diamond earrings completed her ensemble.  
  
"Thanks Rei - sorry I took so long in there," Aerith replied, standing aside. Reilena Gainsborough shrugged self-consciously.   
  
"No big deal. I don't have much to do anyhow, since _you're_ the one with the reason to go to this formal in the first place," she said pointedly, dragging her heels into the room. Aerith followed her younger sister, and picked up their hairbrush, pulling it gently through Reilena's hair as the younger girl pulled on her own dress. A darker crimson, it was off-shoulder, but instead of poufing out a bit like Aerith's, it hung loose to her ankles. Aerith smiled, picking up a barrette as Reilena zipped up the back of her dress.  
  
"Don't worry Rei - I'm sure you'll find someone there," she said reassuredly; Rei blew a strand out of her eyes, and Aerith laughed softly. "Besides, at least this gives you a chance to leave the house for a little bit, rather than sit at home." Rei's eyes widened - a deep violet shade, they contrasted with her long, dark saguine-red mane - and she nodded emphatically.  
  
"Yeah…can you believe she's going to still run the shop tonight?" Rei said, referring to their adoptive mother's flower boutique. Aerith shook her head.  
  
"Knowing her, I can," she replied. A few brush strokes later, and she stepped back from her sister, smiling proudly. "And we are finished. Do you like it?" Reilena gazed into the mirror, a happy smile crossing her lips. Aerith had pulled a bit of her sister's hair back from her crown and secured it with a silver rose-shape barette, then curled a piece so that it lay just to the side of her eyes.   
  
"Thanks, sis," Reilena breathed. Aerith patted her little sister's shoulder gently; before she could reply, an older woman's voice called up the stairs.  
  
"Aerith! Reilena! Zak's here!" Immediately Aerith glanced down at Rei, her expression asking for approval.  
  
"Do I look alright? Am I forgetting anything? Wait, I have to…" Rei shook her head, laughing.  
  
"You look fine - you're gonna knock Zak's socks off, I promise." Aerith shivered nervously, her face paling; Rei knew exactly what was going to come next, and she swallowed a sigh.  
  
"Rei…can you go down there first, just so I have a second to breathe?" she asked. Reilena nodded slowly, stepping back from her older sister.   
  
"Sure thing." She turned on her heel, picking up a bit of skirt from the back so that she could walk, and headed down the stairs. At the foot of the steps stood their adoptive mother Elmyra and Aerith's longtime boyfriend, Zak. The sable-haired young man had his long mane tied back presentably - although his bangs still spiked out - and wore a deep navy suit jacket over a white collared shirt and navy slacks. He smiled kindly to Reilena as she stepped off the stairs and saluted him; Zak was a member of Midgar's SOLDIER program, the very organization that was holding the formal get-together.  
  
"Rei, you look great," Zak told her; Reilena arched an eyebrow, and Zak nodded, laughing. "I'm being serious!"  
  
"Believe me, Aerith looks a million times better," she replied, dropping her eyes just as their mother gasped. Reilena turned on her heel, gazing up the stairs, and felt her own jaw drop; even though she'd been upstairs with Aerith when they'd been preparing, her sister still looked gorgeous. Aerith glanced down at Rei first, nodding quickly, and then smiled shyly to Zak; the young man's eyes had gone wide, and a light blush warmed his cheeks as he held a hand out politely. Aerith took his hand, bowing her head as he brought her hand to his lips. Reilena stood off to the side, wringing her hands as she listened to Elmyra gush over Aerith; she hated to admit it, but Reilena sometimes felt pangs of jealousy toward her older sister, and this was one of those times.  
  
"I have our ride waiting outside, Rei." She shook her head, blinking; in front of her, Zak waved his hand in her eyes, laughing. "Wake up so we can head out!"  
  
"Sorry." Reilena ran a hand through her hair nervously, raising her hand in farewell to her mother as Zak and Aerith climbed into the limousine before her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Are you sure you're okay, Reilena? I haven't seen you out on the floor lately," Aerith said, sitting down primly beside her sister. Reilena sighed, rolling her eyes as she sat back in her chair, arms crossed.  
  
"That's because I haven't _been_ on the floor. At all," she finished pointedly. "I've been sitting here watching you and Zak dance for the longest time." Sighing, Reilena stood up in a rush and turned to Aerith, shaking her head. "Why did you invite me here?" Aerith regarded her sister calmly, placing her hands on Reilena's shoulders as she gazed at her.  
  
"I _told_ you, Rei. You're my little sister…I thought you would enjoy it," she replied. Aerith gazed back at the buffet table - Zak was standing with a few of his SOLDIER comrades - and turned back to Reilena, her eyes widening when she noticed a tear drop down her sister's face. "Rei, what's the matter?" The younger girl shook her head, pushing Aerith's hands away, and wiped her eyes hastily.  
  
"Don't worry about it," she muttered, turning on her heel. Rei needed to leave; she needed to get out of the fancy room, needed to get some air that hadn't yet been polluted by heavy perfumes or cologne. Ignoring Aerith's calls, Reilena strode toward the balcony doors and thrust them open, walked out to the bannister, and hid her face in her hands. _Why now?_ she wondered. _Why does she think it's so damned convenient to bring me everywhere just because I'm her little sister?   
_  
Additional footsteps echoed outside, and the door closed with a nearly inaudible _click_; Reilena quickly wiped her eyes again and gazed out across the skies, trying to stop her crying. The footsteps came closer, and stopped right beside her; a throat cleared itself, and she refused to acknowledge their presence. Instead, she brushed her hair out of her eyes, leaning her forearms over the balcony railing as she looked for the full silver moon.  
  
"I'm sorry." A male voice broke the silence; Reilena hesitantly glanced to her right, looking over the man who had come out to the balcony. At six-foot-one, he was taller than her, with silver hair that streamed down his back - the bangs lay just before his eyes - and an outfit that resembled Zak's, only this man's jacket and slacks were pure ebony. He turned to Reilena, his jade eyes looking down at her with a sympathetic light; she shook her head, turning back toward the skies.  
  
"What are you sorry about?" she asked. He walked around her, coming up to her left before replying.  
  
"I saw that argument with the other young woman. I take it she's stolen your date?" he asked. Reilena laughed under her breath, wringing her hands in the air.  
  
"No, that was my sister. She dragged me to this damn formal, and right now I'm trying to figure out why," she replied, raising an eyebrow curiously after the words had left her. Exactly _why_ was she telling this guy? She didn't know who the hell he was!   
  
He laughed, brushing his hair out of his eyes as he leaned against the bannister, folding his arms as he gazed down at Reilena. "Now I find that hard to believe," he said, shaking his head. Reilena sighed heavily, throwing her arms in the air as she pushed herself off the railing.  
  
"Believe it, 'cause it's true," she muttered, moving toward the doors. Just before she grabbed the door handle, Reilena stopped. The band inside had just begun a slow, light waltz; she glanced inside and saw Aerith and Zak in the middle of the floor, just as if they belonged there, and she dropped her hand and her head with a sigh, shutting her eyes.   
  
A hand on her shoulder; Reilena raised her head slowly, turning to look over her shoulder. The silver-haired man stood behind her, a warm smile on his face as he tilted his head curiously. She turned to face him as he took a step back, holding his hand out. "May I?" Silent, Reilena laid her hand in his, and he led her to the center of the balcony, laying her right hand on his shoulder as he took her left, and led her in a slow, graceful waltz. A violin took a solo; without a word, the man held his hand out, twirling Reilena slowly before bringing her back to him in a protective manner, and she laid her head on his shoulder as he held her closer.   
  
The music gradually faded out, to be replaced by a more upbeat movement; Reilena sighed as she raised her eyes, meaning to head for the doors again. Instead, the man held her to him, gazing down at her with a light smile. Reilena smiled back before dropping her head shyly. "Well, uh…thanks, I guess," she began, gesturing toward the skies self-consciously. "I mean, for the dance…you're…uh…" she trailed off as a gentle gloved hand tilted her chin up; he looked into her eyes again, laughing under his breath when she raised an eyebrow curiously, and then leaned toward her.  
  
Out of all the things that had happened that night, the absolute _last_ thing Reilena had been expecting was a kiss. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes, slipping an arm around his shoulders as she accepted his kiss. He held her face in his right hand - his left rested on her waist, holding her close - and ever so slowly pulled away from her lips, gazing down at her as she opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed shyly. Brushing her hair from her face, he smiled down at her gently. "I should be the one to thank you," he replied, taking her hand in his. Reilena laughed self-consciously, letting him lead her back to the doors; he pulled one open with ease and allowed her into the ballroom first, closing the door behind them as he came up beside her.   
  
Reilena heard a group nearby gasp, and she looked over at them; the girls and their dates regarded her and the man beside her with wide, shocked glances. Chancing a glance to her right, she saw Zak and Aerith out on the floor; Aerith's expression was a cross between happiness and fear, while one of Zak's friends - a blonde man Reilena had been introduced to earlier - eyed the couple with a narrowed gaze. Reilena tilted her head, wondering what the matter was, when her accomplice leaned down, whispering in her ear.  
  
"I promise - I will see you again soon." He squeezed her hand once as he kissed her cheek, and then strode across the room, his hair streaming behind him as he left. The tense air in the room lifted as soon as the doors closed behind him; Reilena stood in place, unaware that Aerith, Zak, and Zak's friend had come up to her. The trio immediately assembled before Reilena, Aerith holding her sister's hand in both of hers. Zak and his friend regarded the younger woman tensely, almost as if she were an enemy; Aerith slapped Zak's shoulder when she noticed her boyfriend's stance, then returned her attention to Reilena.  
  
"Rei, are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "Nothing happened to you outside, I hope?" To her shock, Reilena smiled as if in a daze, and gazed at her older sister.  
  
"I'm absolutely fine," Reilena replied, patting Aerith's cheek. Zak leaned toward Aerith, whispering something to her; she gazed toward the blonde man, who nodded, and then stood aside. The blonde man knelt before Reilena, a hand resting on her shoulder as he spoke to her.  
  
"Look, if anything happened out there - _anything_ - please, tell us," he said in a calm, unnerved voice. Reilena rolled her eyes with an impatient sigh.  
  
"I was outside because I was upset. He came out there, listened to me, and then asked me to dance. We did, and when I thanked him, he kissed me. Then we came in, he left, and here we are." Reilena threw his hand off. "Happy now, Cloud?" Silent, Cloud Strife stood again with a curt nod, and allowed Aerith back; she gazed at Reilena happily, her hands clasped.  
  
"Oh Rei, that's so lovely! Will you tell me about it when we get home?" she asked. Reilena glanced over at Cloud and Zak - the two young SOLDIERs were conversing nearby - and then nodded with a smile.   
  
"Of course, sis." 


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Aerith, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, Barret, and co. are all (c) SquareEnix. Reilena is (c) Vinja Ryou - that would be me. Anything else would be uncivilized.  
  
**A/N**: Just so's you all know, this takes place at the beginning of FFVII now - so it's five years later. Reilena's two years younger than Aerith, which would make her 20 years old. Just clearing things up. Creative liberties are loved by me, so if you don't like it, it's my imagination's fault.

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"Thanks for walking with me," Reilena said, hugging her sister tightly. Aerith laughed, hugging Reilena in return, and then stepped back, letting her sister tie her waitress's apron behind her back. "I swear, I think I would lose my head if it wasn't for you."  
  
"Just be glad I was home to even wake you," Aerith replied, patting Reilena's shoulder just as another young woman approached them. The same age and height as Reilena, her brunette hair streamed down her back, tied at the very end with a haphazard band. An apron matching Reilena's adorned her waist, and she grinned, clapping Reilena on the shoulder.  
  
"For a moment Rei I thought you were gonna leave me here to deal with the afternoon rush alone!" she said jovially. Reilena smiled back, patting the woman's hand.  
  
"No worries, Tifa - thank Aerith for being around." Nodding, Tifa Lockeheart smiled in Aerith's direction; the older girl waved politely before speaking to her sister.  
  
"Rei, I'm just going to be at the flower kiosk all day. Don't bother heading back home - she's not feeling too well," she said, an eyebrow raised for emphasis, and Reilena nodded. If their adoptive mother wasn't 'feeling well,' it usually meant she had fallen off the wagon temporarily, and wasn't one to be around.   
  
"No worries, Aerith - we're gonna be busy tonight. Rei's probably gonna help me close, alright?" Tifa replied.   
  
"Perfect." Aerith patted Reilena's cheek gently, and then slipped her flower basket over her arm. "I'll see you tonight then." Reilena nodded.  
  
"Yep. See ya!" she called; she was already following Tifa back to the bar, and Aerith shook her head with a smile, leaving through the front door. The smile left her lips as she walked down the alley; she worried about Reilena, about her working at the bar with Tifa. Not that she had anything against Tifa - she and Reilena had been close friends since Tifa moved to the slums of Midgar - but the way Reilena had been acting as of late had Aerith wondering exactly what was going on in her sister's life.   
  
_It started after that formal five years ago,_ Aerith thought, pausing at a Materia fountain. _That much I remember._ She'd talked with Reilena about the events there - she'd been in a slight daze from everything, and irritable toward both Zak and Cloud after they'd tried interrogating her on what had happened when she'd left the main room. When Aerith and Reilena had returned home, Aerith had asked the two men what the big deal was…  
  
"She simply found someone to spend time with there, and he liked her as well. What's so wrong with that?" Aerith asked, folding her arms impatiently. Zak and Cloud looked at each other uneasily for a moment; finally Zak stepped forward while Cloud leaned against the light post in front of Aerith and Reilena's house, keeping his stoic gaze on the ground before him.  
  
"Look, Aerith," Zak began, running a hand through his slightly disheveled black hair. "It's not that. We're happy for Rei - really, we are" - Cloud nodded silently - "but that's not the problem. It's _who_ she was with." Aerith raised an eyebrow suspiciously, glancing over her shoulder toward Cloud for a moment.  
  
"What was so wrong with that young man? He seemed nice enough…" she trailed off when Cloud pushed himself off of the light post and strode toward the couple. Zak stood aside and Cloud took a breath, flicking his blonde bangs out of his hair before continuing.  
  
"The man Reilena was with - he looked like one of the SOLDIERs," he said; Aerith began to speak when Cloud held up a hand, and she waited. "The catch is, that man isn't one of the most social people in the world - keeps to himself, doesn't talk to others, that kinda guy." Her eyes widened, Aerith glanced over at Zak; he nodded solemnly, and she turned back to Cloud.  
  
"Well, does he have a name? Rei didn't mention one at all," Aerith replied. Cloud laughed under his breath.  
  
"Wouldn't be surprised if he never introduced himself - he would probably be trying to keep a low profile, at least, which is why we were all shocked to see him at the formal," Cloud continued. "As far as anyone knows, he has no past either; Shinra's kept a tight lid on this guy." Impatient, Aerith folded her arms, glaring down at Cloud.  
  
"I didn't ask about his _past_. I asked if he had a _name_," she said. Both Cloud and Zak nodded.  
  
"Yeah. His name is Sephiroth," Zak said in a low voice. "The best damned SOLDIER Shinra has." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Guess he's not as much of a hermit as most people thought - and he's taken a liking to your little sister as well."  
  
Speechless, Aerith looked behind herself, toward her house. A light on the second floor turned on - Reilena's room. Her sister was in the house; Aerith made sure she would talk with Reilena that night. Turning back to Cloud and Zak, Aerith smiled. "I'm going to go inside now - I think Reilena and I need to talk." The two young men nodded, and Zak stepped up again, kissing Aerith lightly on the cheek.  
  
"Let me know how it turns out," Zak said, "and tell Reilena Cloud an' I are sorry if we were bothering her too much." Aerith smiled.  
  
"Of course. Good night," she replied. Cloud waved back silently, and Aerith turned, heading up the stairs and into the house…  
  
She sighed, shaking her head as she turned away from the fountain; she'd unknowingly stopped to gaze at the Materia as she thought. _I'm probably worrying over nothing…Reilena would've told me if there was something going on, anyhow. Yes, that's it._ Aerith smiled, trying to convince herself that there wasn't anything wrong, and strode out of the alley, turning toward the flower kiosk. A small band of children was walking up to the shop, and Aerith waved politely to the kids as she set her basket down.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Tifa's Seventh Heaven, what can I getcha?" Tifa chirped, smiling easily at the large man in the corner. He was alone, but continually glanced toward the entrance as if he were expecting someone. Eventually, he glanced up at the young brunette woman, nodding once.   
  
"Just the usual," he replied in a low voice. Tifa bowed her head once, giving him a thumbs up.  
  
"Right on it, Barret," Tifa replied; she turned to head back to the bar, and raised an eyebrow at Reilena. Her friend was tending the bar just fine, but her facial expression, not to mention her posture, was unusually drawn in. Tifa eased over to Reilena and began filling a mug with Barret's request as she spoke. "Somethin' the matter Rei?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, no," Reilena answered, setting a shot glass down in front of what appeared to be a homeless woman. Tifa snorted under her breath.  
  
"Don't lie Rei; you can't hide it from me." She patted Reilena's shoulder reassuringly as she glanced toward the back of the bar; Barret was gone. Tifa rolled her eyes, dumping the drink out into the sink. "Dammit Barret, at least give me a sign that you're gonna hold me up," she grumbled under her breath. Just across from where the dark-skinned man had sat though, a couple waved impatiently, and Tifa nodded. "We'll talk on break, okay?" she asked, sidling past Reilena. The sanguine-haired woman nodded tiredly, massaging her forehead with one hand as she turned toward the kitchen to grab an order.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Her head still throbbed, yet Reilena had no idea where the headache had come from. It was just about time for the evening work rush, and she was usually on top of things; she'd never gotten sick at work before! It's just stress, she thought as she walked down the bar; a patron had sat down at the end, and she went to take their order. "What can I get you?" she asked, pasting a smile on her face as she glanced up. The man across from her tilted his head curiously, shrugging after a moment, and then pointed past her, toward the kitchen.   
  
"I just want something to eat. I have to get back to my work quickly," he said in a clipped tone. Reilena didn't move, but stared at the man, her face expressionless; he waved a hand before her eyes, and rolled his own when she shook her head. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah," she replied quickly, blinking rapidly. "S-so you'd like food on the go then?" The man nodded, first pushing his glasses up on his nose before flicking a strand of dark brunet hair from his face. His dark eyes followed Reilena closely, and she shuddered involuntarily.  
  
"That's what I said, _Miss_," he said in a snobbish tone. Nodding, Reilena pulled her notepad from her apron and wrote down the man's order, all the while ignoring the pounding behind her eyes. She glanced back up with a polite smile as she repeated his order; he nodded impatiently, and Reilena spun on her heel, slapping the sheet with the order onto the spinning dais. The pounding grew worse, and Reilena massaged her forehead as she strode through the kitchen, toward the back door. One of the cooks - a portly, middle-aged man - turned to her, an eyebrow raised curiously.  
  
"Hey Rei, you a'ight?" he called. She waved a hand in the air haphazardly, grabbing the doorknob in her free grasp. With a sigh, she turned to the cook; he bit his tongue at the pained look on his coworker's face.  
  
"Sano, can you tell Tifa that I'll be outside for a few?" Sano nodded, and Reilena sighed, dropping her eyes. "Thank you."  
  
"You _sure_ you're okay? I mean, if ya need it, I'm sure she'll…" he trailed off as Reilena shook her head and trudged outside. The cook sighed to himself, finishing up the spectacled man's order, and walked out of the kitchen to hand it to the patron. He glanced up at the cook with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Who're _you_?" he asked. Sano shrugged.  
  
"Your waitress isn't feelin' too well, so I thought I'd come out here an' give you your food myself. Enjoy." Sano set the food down before the man and walked back into the kitchen, suppressing the urge to shudder. _Maybe that's why Rei ain't feelin' too hot now_, he thought. _She had to deal with Hojo out there.  
  
_  
"Rei?" Tifa walked out the back door, glancing about curiously as she wiped her hands on her shorts. "Where you at?"  
  
"Over here." The brunette woman followed Reilena's voice, and found her friend sitting underneath a lamppost, holding her head in her hands as if she were crying; the apron lay beside her. Tifa took in a sharp breath, and then knelt down beside Reilena, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Reilena sighed deeply, her eyes clamped shut.  
  
"What's the matter?" Reilena shook her head slowly.  
  
"Nothing you need to bother yourself with. Go back inside - I'll be there in a few."   
  
"Forget it. I told Sano to call the busboys and have 'em take orders for now, an' Marlene's helping with the dishes." Tifa scooted until she was in front of Reilena, and laid both hands on the young woman's shoulders. "You an' I are on break, and I'm going to sit out here and find out what's been bothering you." She stayed in place, waiting for her friend to look up; finally Reilena lifted her head, and Tifa gazed at her with concern. It looked as if Reilena had been crying. Reilena realized that Tifa had seen her eyes, and quickly wiped at them with the back of her hand, leaning against the lamppost.   
  
"It's nothing. Believe me." Tifa raised an eyebrow, sitting down cross-legged before Reilena.  
  
"That's not true. C'mon, out with it. If you're crying, it's obviously something serious." Reilena nodded hesitantly, and Tifa's face softened; she pushed Reilena's hair away from her eyes gently. "Does it have to do with life at home?"   
  
"No. It's…I don't know what it is." A sigh; Reilena stood up slowly, holding onto the lamppost to steady herself, and eventually leaned against it, her arms folded. "It's my mind - I think I'm going slightly mad." Tifa chuckled, standing up as well.  
  
"Why else are we friends, Rei? You an' I are both mad!" she teased. Reilena glanced up at her, expressionless, and Tifa shrugged. "I'm sorry - I didn't realize you were serious." She walked over to a crate in the alley and sat down, her back leaned against the building behind her. "Alright. What makes you think you're going crazy?" Reilena blew her hair out of her eyes, dropping her gaze to the ground.  
  
"It's these goddamn visions - they tell me things." She looked up at Tifa - her friend regarded her silently, and she continued in a soft voice; Tifa knew about Reilena's visions. "It got even worse when I had to deal with that snotty doctor in there - that's why I left. I've seen him before in the visions…he's insane." Tifa blew out a sigh, tucking a strand of dark brunette hair behind her ear, and regarded Reilena with an arched eyebrow.  
  
"_Everyone_ in Midgar knows _that_," Tifa replied. "That was Hojo - Shinra's resident psycho scientist." She tilted her head curiously. "What does he have to do with anything though? Hojo gives everyone the heebie-jeebies; what'd he do to make you flip out like you did?"  
  
"I said it already - he's been in my visions." Reilena slid back down the post, seating herself on the ground, and gazed over at Tifa as she continued; her arms lay over her knees, palms toward the sky. "I see him - conducting these experiments - but they're not all with chemicals or mixtures like most normal scientists do. Hell, he doesn't even do what most people would consider normal animal testing."  
  
"And that would be a bad thing _how_?" The younger Gainsborough dropped her head, replying in a whisper; Tifa raised an eyebrow, leaning toward her friend. "Come again?"   
  
"Hojo - he conducts his experiments on people, too. _Living_ people," Reilena repeated; she shuddered involuntarily, and looked up. Tifa's eyes widened in shock, and Reilena nodded. "I've seen it, Tifa. I've seen his last two human subjects - they're still alive." She lowered her eyes to the ground again, biting her lip amid the silence in the alley.   
  
"I knew it." Shocked, Reilena gazed up - Tifa wore a determined sheen in her eyes, and she punched a fist into her open palm. "I just knew it. Shinra's front for Hojo was too good." She glanced back over at Reilena, and then walked over to her, kneeling before Reilena. "What happened? In your visions, I mean. I need to know." Reilena raised an eyebrow, ignoring her headache and nervous tears for the time being.  
  
"What? You _believe_ me?" she asked incredulously. Tifa nodded solemnly.  
  
"I'll explain in a moment. First Rei, you gotta tell me what happened." Reilena sighed heavily, running a hand through her sanguine hair.  
  
"He had two subjects - as far as I know though, only one remains in Shinra's custody," she began, hesitant at first. "The first vision I had was after that formal I went to with Aerith years ago." Immediately Tifa was stoic - her eyes dropped to the ground for a moment and she took a breath before looking back up at her friend.   
  
"The one where you…" Reilena nodded.  
  
"Where I met possibly the most elusive man in this whole damn city, yes." She closed her eyes, knowing how Tifa felt about him. "I'm not sure if he was one of the experimental subjects, though," Reilena continued quickly. "The one who remains - I don't know his name, only his appearance, but I saw one of Hojo's experiments on him. I think that's why I reacted as I did when Hojo came into the bar." She sighed shakily. "Tifa, it was disgusting, and yet I think he _wanted_ me to see it, a cry for help or something…I don't know." Tifa blew out a breath she'd been holding, and stroked Reilena's hair reassuredly.   
  
"I hate to say this, but you have to tell me what you saw." Nodding, Reilena held her head in her hands; a moment later, she turned her face up to the evening sky, keeping her gaze on the stars as she continued.  
  
"Hojo drugged him somehow - it was a former member of the Turks, one who'd tried to leave the clan - and he drugged him, kept him in the labs for experimentation. The only one I saw…" she stopped for a moment, shutting her eyes again. "The only experiment I saw in its entirety was…Tifa, the doctor cut his arm off, sliced it clean off, and replaced it with this metal one. Claws and everything, and I witnessed it." Dropping her eyes, Reilena took her left arm and held it before her, and then made a slicing motion just above her elbow. "Hojo cut his arm off about here, and replaced it with a gold-coloured prosthetic arm; instead of a regular hand though, there were claws on the fingers. I don't know exactly what it does - if Hojo just did it out of sheer curiosity or if it's supposed to have some sort of power - but it was the most inhumane thing I've ever seen, and done to a helpless person solely because he tried to leave the Turks." Wiping her eyes, Reilena met Tifa's gaze - Tifa's face was a mixture of disgust and determination, and she took Reilena's hand in hers, patting it calmly.  
  
"Do you know anything else?" Reilena shook her head.  
  
"All I've seen now are the aftermaths of random experimentation done on the ex-Turk; sometimes I see him when he's alone, and it's heartbreaking - he just stares at the arm, the claws, sometimes he doesn't do anything, other times he seems as if he's talking to himself, trying to stay sane after dealing with Hojo's experiments on him. One time though…" Reilena stopped, and Tifa arched an eyebrow, patting Reilena's shoulder.  
  
"One time what, Rei?" She shook her head, raking her hair away from her face.  
  
"One time - I swear, I've never seen this man before in my life, I don't know him - but he said my name."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Mako Reactor One was aflame. Coughing for air, Barret Wallace, Jessie, Wedge, Biggs, and the ex-SOLDIER dashed out of the burning reactor, waving smoke from their faces. Once he had caught his breath, Barret looked over his team with a stoic glance.  
  
"Good job in there, team," he began; the crew, save the blonde mercenary, nodded in agreement. "Problem now is that Shinra's gonna be all over this place in a few minutes. Split up, and let's reconvene at the Sector 8 station. Got it?" Again, the three members nodded once, and then split apart, each heading in a different direction. With that finished, Barret glanced over at the ex-SOLDIER, nodded behind himself, and took off up the alleyway. With a sigh, the young man followed, running down the streets, dodging the wreckage, and…  
  
"Oof! Pardon me!" Taken aback, the man leapt back a step, allowing the young woman to regain her footing. She brushed a strand of chocolate-brown hair from her eyes as she glanced over her stand. "There goes my flower kiosk…what am I going to tell Mom?" Looking back up, her face took on a worried visage. "What happened back there?"  
  
_What am I supposed to tell her?_ he thought, scratching his head. "Something big - the reactor's blown. You'd better get out of here," he replied quickly. Eyes widening, the woman grabbed her basket and ran down the left side of the highway. He shook his head, blowing out a sigh. _'Least that's been taken care of._ He ran down the opposite way the woman went, and skidded to a halt when a group of soldiers strode up to him. "Damn it!" Spinning on his heel, he came face to face with even more; he knew more would be coming from the other directions, and he growled inwardly.  
  
"That's as far as _you'll_ be going, young man," a soldier said in a clipped tone. The mercenary raised an eyebrow, backing up against the bridge, and smirked.  
  
"That's what you think," he called, falling over the edge. A collective gasp rang out from the soldiers; they ran to the bridge, and shouted in fury when they saw the mercenary on top of a train headed toward the Sector 7 Slums.   
  
"Well, he was a good one," Barret said glumly, adjusting the gaitling gun on his right arm. He glanced around the rest of his team, and blew out a long breath. "Look sharp! We don't know if Shinra's goons are gonna be checkin' this train?"  
  
"There's nothing to worry about, Barret," Jessie replied. She blew her bangs from her eyes as she pulled out a white card from her pocket, waving it in the air with confidence. "I had airtight ID's made for us all. They won't be able to find us." Barret bowed his head; before he could reply, the door on Biggs' side was thrown open, and the blonde mercenary swung into the car. He landed on his feet and glanced up at Barret with an arched eyebrow.  
  
"Almost thought you forgot about me," he said. Barret shook his head.  
  
"Don't need to be makin' no fancy entrances like that, SOLDIER." The mercenary narrowed his eyes, slamming the door shut behind him.  
  
"Look, the name's Cloud, alright? And I'm an _EX_-SOLDIER. Are you going to be throwing that in my face this entire time?" he shot back. Barret opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it, and headed for a trapdoor leading to the main cars. He pulled it open with his free left hand, and gestured to the team.  
  
"Change of plans. We'll be getting off at the Sector 7 stop a'ight?" he called. "Meeting up at the usual. Be there." He dropped through the door, followed by Wedge, Biggs, and Jessie. After a moment Cloud shrugged and leapt after Jessie, landing easily in the passenger car.  
  
"Well, that's that," Tifa said, wiping her hands on her apron. Reilena nodded, stacking the last of the chairs up in a corner of the bar; behind the counter, Marlene Wallace sat upon a stool, twirling a strand of hair worriedly. The two young women strode over to the little girl, leaning against the counter to take a breather. The rest of the employees had left at least a half-hour ago, and Tifa offered to close on her own, yet Reilena insisted on staying behind to help out. Now though, she ran a hand through her hair, rubbing her forehead - even after the talk with Tifa, her headache still hadn't completely gone away.  
  
"Tifa, do you think Daddy's okay?" Marlene suddenly asked. Reilena's eyes shot open, an eyebrow raised, as Tifa turned to the little girl with a warm smile.   
  
"Don't worry. I know your daddy - I don't think anything can stop him," she said reassuredly, patting Marlene's head. Marlene nodded; at that moment the front door to the Seventh Heaven swung open, and the trio faced the door in surprise.  
  
"Hey Tifa, how you doin'…Marlene!" Barret called out. A wide grin spread over Marlene's face as she leapt off the stool and ran to the large, dark-skinned man, throwing her arms around him as he lifted her in the air. "How's my little girl?"  
  
"I'm fine, Daddy," Marlene replied. Barret smiled, setting his daughter on his shoulders, and then turned toward the door.   
  
"C'mon now, ever'body in. Can't risk anything, 'member?" Tifa strode over to the front door, holding it open as she waved the crowd in.  
  
"There's room for everyone, don't worry…I closed the place early tonight," she called, smiling and greeting Wedge, Jessie, and Biggs as they walked in. Just before she could close the door however, a spiky-blonde-haired young man strode in as well, and Tifa's jaw dropped in shock. Barret glanced over his free shoulder at the mercenary, and rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'll get you your payment in a sec," he called, reaching up; he picked Marlene up off his shoulders and handed the little girl off to Reilena - she'd been standing by the bar in silence, and took Marlene with a stoic nod, holding her free hand out as well.  
  
"Hey there…I'm uh…" Barret shook his head, a tense chuckle ringing out as he waved her hand away.  
  
"Reilena Gainsborough. Tifa's told me all about ya, don't worry." Turning to the rest of the crowd, Barret motioned toward the pinball machine in the corner. "C'mon ever'one, meeting downstairs. Now."   
  
_Meeting? Downstairs?_ Reilena thought. She set Marlene down on the countertop, handed the tyke a sucker to keep her occupied, and turned back just in time to see Tifa mouthing "Hang on;" a moment later, the pinball machine descended, carrying the young woman to a basement floor. Her eyes widened in surprise, Reilena turned back toward Marlene. The little girl was busy sweeping the floor, having jumped down from the counter, and Reilena smiled. _Might as well help out while I'm here,_ she thought; with that, Reilena walked behind the counter and began polishing the mugs, listening to Marlene's humming as she let her thoughts wander.  
  
_"As I'm sure the citizens of Midgar know, we are on the trail of this AVALANCHE organization, and will put an end to this terrorist sect. Repairs are already in motion at Mako Reactor One, and I will be here, supervising the reconstruction as well as providing help and assistance to those affected by the explosion."  
_  
The television screen stayed on the smiling, bearded face of President Shinra a moment longer, and then turned back to the newsman at hand. Clenching both his fist and jaw, Barret stalked over to a punching bag in the opposite corner of the Seventh Heaven basement and smashed it furiously. Biggs, Jessie, Tifa, and Wedge watched him in silence, each keeping their distance from the irate man.   
  
Rolling his eyes, Cloud strode over to Barret and leaned against the wall nearest the punching bag, arms folded casually. "What're _you_ so worried about?" he asked. "Not like President Shinra knows it was you guys - he cares more for his politics and covering his own ass than honestly pursuing AVALANCHE. Besides," he glanced around the hideout with a raised eyebrow, "what did Shinra ever do to you?"  
  
Barret abruptly halted his assault on the punching bag and turned to face Cloud, shoulders heaving and eyes narrowed. "What did Shinra ever do to me?" he asked in a low voice; Cloud nodded once and Barret laughed, his voice full of contempt. "Everything you see here is caused by Shinra! Their damned reactors have destroyed towns, lives, and pushed us commonfolk to the slums below the city! Those piece of shit factories are sucking the life outta this planet - _and they don't care._ That sleazeball runnin' this city cares about two things - Mako energy and money. Right now he's deep in both, but Mako energy ain't gonna last forever here, an' soon he'll be looking for other places to ravage."  
  
"You've got it all wrong," Cloud replied casually. He pushed himself off the wall and waved an arm nonchalantly in the air. "First off, the _mayor_ runs this city, not Shinra…"  
  
Barret's eyes widened in fury, and he stepped up into Cloud's face, his teeth clenched in absolute anger. "Are you really THAT naïve?" he yelled; a split-second later, he threw his arms up in the air. "Of course you are - the Mako shine in your eyes is enough to show _that_. Look kid, don't go thinkin' you're all bad jus' 'cause you was in SOLDIER. This is the real world, and I really dun need your help all that badly," he finished, his gun arm pointing toward the exit. Cloud glanced back at the pinball machine, giving a half-hearted shrug as he turned on his heel.  
  
"Fine then. I'll wait for my money upstairs and be on my way," he replied, walking toward the elevator. From the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Tifa motion for him to stay; he shook his head as he stepped up beside the machine and pulled the lever, running a hand through his hair as the elevator rose and stopped at the bar.   
  
The jarring sound of the pinball machine's return caught both Marlene and Reilena's attention; silent, they watched as the blonde-haired young man stepped off, nodding to them both silently as he made his way toward the exit. Reilena watched his retreating back closely, knowing she recognized him somehow, and was snapped out of her thoughts by Marlene's tugging on her apron. She knelt down to the little girl's eye level, seeing the worried look in Marlene's eyes.  
  
"Isn't that man going to help Daddy?" she asked quietly. Reilena sighed, ruffling Marlene's hair.  
  
"I don't know yet…" The elevator/pinball machine rumbled again, and Reilena lifted Marlene into her arms as they both saw Tifa run off the machine. Instinctively Reilena nodded toward the door, and Tifa dashed over, grabbing the man's shoulder. Marlene opened her mouth to call out when Reilena shook her head; the girl stayed quiet, and they watched the couple not too far away in silence.  
  
"Cloud, wait!" Sighing, Cloud turned on his heel and faced Tifa; the young woman threw her hair off of her shoulder as she tried to catch her breath, and then narrowed her eyes at Cloud. "Don't you remember your promise?"  
  
"Promise?" Cloud shook his head, brow furrowed; Tifa sighed impatiently, hands on her hips.  
  
"You don't remember? When we were kids, back home…you promised me that if you ever joined up with SOLDIER and I needed help, that you would come back and protect me." She raised an eyebrow. "You can't tell me you've completely forgotten that, Cloud."  
  
Suddenly, it all came back to him. The starry night in Nibelheim; it was the night before he left for Midgar, and Tifa had asked him to meet her at the dock… "Tifa, we were kids. I'm not even in SOLDIER anymore," Cloud replied. Tifa crossed her arms over her chest, unmoved.  
  
"But you _were_ in SOLDIER. And now, I need you help…we need your help," she retorted. "It's time to make good on your promise."   
  
Cloud rolled his eyes, clapping a hand to his forehead in disbelief. Before he could reply however, a knock rattled out; both he and Tifa turned toward the bar.  
  
"Rei, there's someone at the door," Marlene whispered. Reilena hushed the little girl; a moment later however, another knock rapped out, and she peered over her shoulder. Aerith stood in the doorway, waving to them, and Reilena sighed, setting Marlene back down on the counter. Glancing up, she saw both Tifa and the young man eyeing her closely, and smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Sorry about that," she called, "but uh, Tifa? Aerith's waiting out back for me."  
  
"No problem…I'll see you later then," she replied, smiling warmly. Reilena laughed nervously, shoving her apron underneath the counter when she heard Tifa gasp. "Rei! C'mere really quick."   
  
"O-kay…" Confused, Reilena hopped over the bar door and walked up to Tifa and the man; Tifa promptly leaned over, whispering in Reilena's ear. After a moment she stepped back with a grin.  
  
"Tell Aerith I said hello, 'kay?" she said, winking. Reilena nodded, waving to both Tifa and her companion as she headed back toward the rear of the building; before she walked out however, Reilena looked back with a teasing grin.   
  
"I wouldn't try arguing with Tifa there. Just say yes and keep your promise to her," she said. Tifa burst out laughing along with Reilena as the young man glared back at her. Reilena shrugged as she pulled the door open and finally left the bar.   
  
Aerith stood beside the same lamppost Reilena had sat at earlier, and smiled warmly at her little sister. "I see you had a good day today," she said. Reilena waved a hand in the air.  
  
"So-so. Kinda exciting, kinda boring," she replied; a second later, she stopped in front of her older sister, her eyes wide. "I almost forgot! I heard about the explosion at the Mako reactor - are you okay?" Aerith nodded solemnly.  
  
"I'm alright - the shop's going to need more than a few repairs though, so I'm taking tomorrow off. I have to take care of the flowers at church anyhow," she said quietly. Reilena's eyes dropped, and she walked beside her sister silently. "So how about you? What was so exciting at work today?" Aerith asked; immediately Reilena's head shot up.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What was so exciting at work today?" Aerith repeated; her face fell when she noticed her sister slouch over just a bit, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "It was a premonition…a feeling, wasn't it?" she whispered. Reilena nodded slowly, and Aerith squeezed her shoulder reassuredly. "It'll be alright - whomever that is, he'll get out of there, I know it." She stopped when Reilena shook her head violently.  
  
"That's not the problem, Aerith!" she shot back; striding in front of her sister, she clamped her hands down on Aerith's shoulders and stared her in the eyes, blinking back any tears that might come forth. "The catch is the last time I saw it, he said my name. _He said my_ name, _Aerith_, _and I don't know who he is._ Wouldn't that scare you just a little bit?" She waited for Aerith's response; the older Gainsborough dropped her eyes to the ground for a moment, nodding soon after.  
  
"It would - but then again Reilena, you can't forget what we are. We're attuned to this sort of psychic connection - maybe that's all it is." Aerith held her sister's hand, rubbing her fingers lightly. "Maybe…maybe he senses you as well. I mean, think about it Rei," she continued, leading her sister to the garden beside their house. Aerith sat down on a small wooden bench, gesturing for Reilena to follow, and spoke in a low voice. "This could very well mean that there are…well…more out there like us. We might not be alone here. Just keep that in mind," she murmured, patting Reilena's hand. "Since we're on the subject anyhow, what do you know about this man? I mean it," Aerith continued, facing her sister. "Tell me everything you told Tifa." Reilena arched an eyebrow in question.  
  
"How did you know I told Tifa?" Aerith laughed.  
  
"You just told me," she retorted. Reilena rolled her eyes, smiling, and cleared her throat.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Cloud groaned, his eyes opening slowly as the jarring clang of the pinball machine shook him awake. He flicked his blonde bangs from his eyes as he sat up on the cot Barret had lent him; since agreeing to help out AVALANCHE, he'd opted to stay in the basement of the Seventh Heaven until the meeting in the morning. Now Cloud covered his mouth, stifling a yawn as Tifa walked over to him, smiling brightly.  
  
"Rise and shine, Cloud!" she said, holding a hand out; when he took it, she helped him to his feet. "Barret and the rest of the group is upstairs waiting for you - you sure slept in late enough!" she teased. Cloud rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, well I was tired," he replied, rolling his shoulders. Tifa nodded, heading for the lift, and moved over so that Cloud could join her. She threw the switch, kicking the machine to life, and sighed.  
  
"By the way, I never did say thank you yesterday for agreeing to stay here and help," she murmured.   
  
"It's nothing," Cloud replied with a shrug. "Besides, Barret's agreed to pay me extra to help bust up Reactor Five as well." Another sigh; Cloud turned to see Tifa gazing upwards, her shoulders slumped a bit.  
  
"Of course - it's for the money. Sorry I forgot." The elevator stopped at the bar, and Tifa shoved the switch over, shutting off the lift. Around the room stood Barret, Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge; Jessie promptly walked up to Cloud and Tifa, handing them both small white ID cards with names and photos. Tifa gave the older woman a curt nod, pocketing her card, while Cloud gazed over the false ID with an arched eyebrow. After a moment, he waved the card in the air, a look of curiosity on his face.  
  
"What are these for?" Jessie glanced over, smiling as she held up her own card.  
  
"IDs. In the case that the Shinra decide to search the train, we'll have these ID cards to throw them off our trail. They've worked for us before, so there's no real worry that yours won't work as well. Besides," she continued, her eyes dropping to the ground shyly, "I spent a little extra time on yours, so it should be airtight." Cloud continued to stare at her, unsure of what to think; Tifa elbowed him good-naturedly.  
  
"Sounds like someone has a little crush on ya," she said. Cloud shook his head, pocketing his card as Barret stood up, gesturing toward the door.  
  
"Jus' so y'alls know what's up for tonight. We're busting into Mako Reactor Five; Cloud, Tifa, and myself will do the actual infiltration. Jessie, we'll need ya to break the codes for us to get in. Wedge, Biggs, you know what to do." The two men nodded knowingly, and Barret turned to Cloud and Tifa. "Ya ready?" Cloud bowed his head; Tifa nodded, raising a fist in certainty, and Barret grinned. "Let's move!"


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anyone in the FFVII universe - SquareEnix does - but I do take creative liberties with places/people at times. Reilena Gainsborough is my character, and as such is (c) Vinja Ryou. Toll charges may apply

* * *

_"Papa…"  
_  
"Huh?" Confused, Cloud glanced around himself. Barret and Tifa were standing guard ten feet away. Glancing down at the bomb in his hands, Cloud took a deep breath, flicking blonde hair from his eyes. As he placed the explosive on the reactor, Tifa's voice returned to him. Cloud shut his eyes, shoulders hunched, as the scene from their childhood played out…  
  
_Nibelheim. In the reactor on Mount Nibel; it had only been six months after the formal in Midgar…silent, Cloud stopped, his eyes widened in shock.  
  
Tifa knelt before him, sobbing. Just in front of her was her father. Blood covered the man, pooling around his torso; Cloud knew that he was dead, and yet he remained silent. Suddenly, Tifa glanced up, her dark eyes wet from underneath her scarlet beret.  
  
"Papa…he's gone," she whispered, wiping her eyes. She then glared toward the open door before them; the same door that held the strange creatures Cloud and Sephiroth had discovered days ago. "I'll get him…Sephiroth will pay for this," Tifa growled. Before Cloud could stop her, Tifa ran into the laboratory, even as Cloud reached out…  
_  
"Kid, we don't have much time," Barret muttered, peering over his shoulder. "If Shinra's men find us down here, we're screwed."  
  
Cloud's eyes snapped open, and he shook his head. "Don't worry about it…I've got it all under control." Swallowing his nerves, Cloud finished placing the bomb; as he rose to his feet he set the detonation clock and turned to his companions. "We don't have much time. Let's go." Nodding, Barret started for the stairwell, jogging toward the elevator at the top; Tifa jogged alongside Cloud.  
  
Something seemed to be troubling the young man; she had seen him hesitate the slightest bit while setting the bomb, and it was beginning to worry Tifa just a bit. Instead of questioning Cloud on it though, Tifa ignored her feelings and followed Barret into the elevator; the burly leader of AVALANCHE promptly moved over so that Cloud and Tifa could fit into the small space, and then hit the switch to bring them to the control room. The elevator rose without a hitch, and let out a pleasant ding as it opened on the security control floor.   
  
"O'er here," Barret stage-whispered, waving the two over to a door with a numerical pad. He stepped aside, allowing Tifa to punch in the security code Jessie had hacked into earlier, and dashed into the control room. Once Cloud joined her, Barret strode inside, hitting the switch to close the door. He peered over at the younger man as he strode over to the large control deck in the center of the room, an eyebrow raised in slight concern. "So what happened back there, Cloud?" he asked, absentmindedly setting the controls on his Gaitling Gun. Cloud's head shot up, and he glanced over at Barret anxiously.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tifa sighed, folding her arms; her eyes betrayed her emotions, showed her worry for her friend.  
  
"While you were setting the bomb, you hesitated a bit. What's wrong?" she asked calmly, laying a hand on his shoulder. Cloud's eyes dropped to the floor for a second; he threw Tifa's hand off of him and concentrated on the motherboard before him.  
  
"It was nothing. Don't worry about it," he muttered. Barret laughed under his breath.  
  
"The kid's going against his family, trying to blow up another reactor," he said contemptuously. Tifa glared at him, and Barret shrugged. "Don't believe me? Look into his eyes - he's got them Mako eyes after all."  
  
"Look, let's just get this done and over with, alright?" Cloud snapped suddenly. "This isn't about me, this is about your cause, so let's just finish this." Barret's eyes widened, and he smirked.  
  
"I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve?"   
  
_"Barret…"_ One look at the murderous glare in Tifa's eyes, and the older man shut his mouth. Sighing deeply, Cloud spoke.  
  
"When I give the signal, we hit the switches on this board to open the last door and get the hell out of here. The catch is that we have to hit them at the same time. Got it?" Both Barret and Tifa nodded; Cloud bowed his head. "Then on the count of three. One…two…three."   
  
Five hands and a gun barrel came down; the switches flipped, and the door behind them slid open without a hitch. Cloud nodded toward the door; with a grin, Barret dashed past him and through the door, waiting just beyond for his comrades to follow. Tifa started for the exit, but glanced back; Cloud seemed to be lost in his thoughts again. Tifa reached out to him, but shook her head at the last moment and took her hand back, following Barret instead.   
  
He couldn't explain it; there was an ominous feeling around him. The feeling that something was drastically wrong. What was it? Shaking his head, Cloud ran through the door, joining up with Barret and Tifa; without a word, Barret led them down the corridor, nodding toward the right passageway. "The exit's just that way," he called back.   
  
"Halt!" A line of SOLDIERS strode up to the renegades, guns poised. Growling, Barret stopped in his tracks and spun to head the other way. Much to their dismay, additional SOLDIERS were marching up the left corridor as well, and just as Tifa began back toward the security room, a gust of wind pushed her and her companions back. Once the trio had regained their footing, they turned toward the source of the tempest.   
  
President Shinra smiled politely, standing just inside his helicopter. "What a pleasant surprise," he said, climbing down a ladder; he strode up to the trio, the smile still on his face. "Here I was, prepared to go and look for AVALANCHE's leader, and now here I have three of them. How convenient." President Shinra walked calmly around the team, his eyes traveling over them, and stopped just before Cloud. The President's eyes narrowed slightly, and he peered closely at the blonde, smirking after a moment. "Mako eyes - you were one of Sephiroth's underlings, weren't you?" Cloud remained silent, and President Shinra chuckled harshly. "No matter - I would know your eyes from anywhere. Too bad you didn't decide to stay with SOLDIER, though I must hand it to you all; you're almost as clever as the ex-General."  
  
"Who the hell is Sephiroth? What's he got to do wit' anythin'?" Barret hollered, wielding his gun-arm angrily. President Shinra waved a finger before him, clicking his tongue.  
  
"Hasn't your SOLDIER comrade here educated you? Sephiroth was the best SOLDIER out of them all - it's a pity that he's lost now. In fact, we're pretty sure he's dead," President Shinra replied, walking backwards. "That shouldn't worry you though. This, however, will." Gesturing behind the AVALANCHE members, President Shinra climbed back aboard his helicopter just as a huge mechanical SOLDIER stalked down the corridor from the security room, in between the trio, and the human SOLDIERS scattered; Barret and Tifa remained on the right, while Cloud leapt to the left corridor, pulling out his Buster Sword. "Allow me to introduce you to the Air Buster - one of several revolutionary war machines Shinra has been working on. It's too bad that you won't be here to see it in its glory on the battlefield, but we've been needing test subjects for it anyhow."  
  
"Shinra, you get your ass back here!" Barret yelled. "I have a score to settle with you, you no-good…"  
  
"That's just going to have to wait until later isn't it? I can't be late for the mayor's dinner, after all." With that said, President Shinra waved to the team as his helicopter lifted into the air. As if on cue, the Air Buster shook, coming to life, and faced Barret and Tifa, weapons ready. Tifa's eyes widened as she raised her fists to her face.   
  
"What _is_ this thing?" she yelled, ducking down as the Air Buster rained bullets down on her. Behind the creature, Cloud's eyes narrowed angrily, and he tightened his grip on his sword.  
  
"Just what Shinra said - it's one of their new experiments in warfare technology," Cloud called back. "Fight it as best you can. Know any magic?"  
  
"To hell with magic!" Barret shouted, bracing himself as he fired his Gaitling Gun. The Air Buster shuddered, turning on the larger man; Barret stumbled back, growling as a searing beam struck him on the shoulder. Tifa rose from her crouch; the Glove on her right hand held the Lightning Materia, and she aimed her clenched fist at the machine. Lightning bolts rained down upon the Air Buster, and it fell back, gravely injured. It wasn't about to go down easily; it backed up on its tracks, causing Cloud to leap back before he was crushed, and directed both its arms at the duo before it. Tifa and Barret cried out as the machine unleashed its Big Bomber attack; Barret was able to climb back to his feet. Tifa however, remained on the ground; her breathing was laboured, and a ribbon of blood streamed down her arm. Barret's eyes widened at her condition, and he glared at the creature, baring his teeth. "Cloud, it ain't lookin' good!"  
  
"What's going on?" Cloud hollered, leaping back after slashing at the Air Buster. He held his Buster Sword before himself when the monster retaliated with a laser, bouncing the beam back at it.   
  
"Tifa's been hurt real bad - it's not looking good." Shocked, Cloud glanced past the Air Buster, his eyes narrowing when he saw Tifa on the ground. He eyed the machine as he regripped his sword, bracing himself; he felt a surge of anger course through his veins. The Air Buster watched the blonde mercenary before it, unsure of what was happening; without any hesitation, Cloud ran headlong at the creature, Cross-Slashing it furiously.   
  
The Air Buster froze, paralyzed by the blow from Cloud's Limit Break. Cloud, Barret, and Tifa waited in tense silence; Barret knelt by the young woman, his gun arm at the ready. Cloud sheathed his sword, taking a step back from the machine as it began to shudder in place. Barret's eyes widened, having realized what was happening.  
  
"Aw shit…Cloud, get back!" he yelled; as soon as the words left him, the Air Buster exploded, destroying the hub of the corridors. Cloud was thrown forward as Barret and Tifa held onto the corridor railings, but grabbed onto a shard of metal to keep himself from falling. A low ticking caught his attention, however, and Cloud glanced down, his heart stopping for a moment when he realized the reactor was about to blow; the explosion of the Air Buster had accelerated the detonation timer for Reactor Five, and he turned his eyes up to Barret and Tifa. Ignoring her own wounds, Tifa knelt down at the hole in the floor, reaching down to Cloud.  
  
"Take my hand, Cloud!" Tifa called; her fingers flexed as she reached out as much as she could. "Grab on, and I'll pull you back!" Cloud shook his head, and Tifa's eyes widened, brimming with unshed tears. "Dammit Cloud, trust me on this!"  
  
"I can't," he said calmly. "If you tried to pull me up, I would just drag us both down." He looked down again; there wasn't much time. "You and Barret get the hell out of here; the reactor's going to blow soon." Tifa shook her head violently, ignoring Barret's hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I'm not leaving without you!" she said, reaching out again. Again, Cloud didn't move.   
  
"I'll be fine. I promise. Barret, get her out of here," Cloud replied. Barret nodded in silence and pulled Tifa back from the hole. She glanced down at Cloud, reluctantly letting herself be taken. Not a moment too soon; the reactor exploded just as the young woman backed up. The force of the explosion jarred Cloud violently; he let go of the metal and fell, silent.   
  
_"Cloud!"_ Tifa hid her face in her hands, slowly getting to her feet as Barret led her out of the reactor. He patted her shoulder softly, listening to Tifa's quiet sobs as he prayed for Cloud's safety.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
She held a flower up to the sunlight; shards of red, cerulean, and jade light bathed both the young woman and the scarlet carnation she held in her hand. A smile spread across her face. She felt most at home here, in the church flower garden; it was her sanctuary, a place she could go to and know she was around people she could trust, people that loved her dearly. A strand of hair fell in her eyes, but she ignored it, her gaze on the flower above.  
  
Next to her, another young woman knelt down, tending to a patch of springtime daisies and roses. Sighing, she wiped a hand across her brow, tossing her hair off of her shoulder, and glanced over at her companion. Laughing softly under her breath, she shook her head as she sat back on her haunches. "Aerith, I think that flower's gotten its fill of light by now," she teased. Blinking rapidly, Aerith Gainsborough snapped out of her thoughts and glanced toward her sister Reilena. She lowered her hand slowly, still holding the flower to herself, the calm smile across her lips.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, tucking the loose brunette hair behind her ear. "I just lose myself so easily here…it's so calm and peaceful…" she trailed off, sighing as she backed up slightly. "This is the only place I can really go to if I don't want to be bothered by anyone."  
  
Reilena arched an eyebrow, resting a hand on her knee as she went to brace herself. "Well if _that's_ the case, I can leave if you'd like," she began. Aerith's glance shot toward her younger sister, an apologetic sheen in her aquamarine eyes. She reached out with her free hand, taking Reilena's softly, and tugged just a bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" she apologized. "I meant that this is the only place you and I can retreat to, where we can talk among ourselves without fear of being overheard." Lowering her eyes, Aerith took a breath; Reilena sat back down on the floor, holding her sister's hand. "Reilena…something's troubling me, and I don't know why. I get the feeling that something…life-altering will occur very soon."  
  
"You too?" Reilena asked without thinking; she shied back when Aerith looked back up at her. "I mean, I've had the same feeling…that and the whole…well, you know, we talked about it the other night."  
  
"That young man you keep seeing." Aerith tilted her head in understanding, patting Reilena's hand. "I sense that we'll meet up with him much sooner than you think." Reilena smiled lightly, wiping at her eyes; Aerith laughed, shaking her head after brushing away a stray tear of her own. "Look at us - sitting here babbling around when we still have to tidy up the lilies," she murmured, letting go of Reilena's hand. "Rei, you go ahead and…"  
  
A crash; shattered glass rained down amongst the two young women. Shocked, they glanced up at the destroyed ceiling just as a form fell down, landing in the bed of flowers between them. Aerith peered over at Reilena, her eyes wide with shock; both girls moved to the person's side, Reilena sucking in a worried breath when she saw his face.  
  
"I know who this is," she muttered, brushing glass from the young man's shirt. Aerith nodded; she recognized the man as well, but couldn't place a name with his face for the time being. She ran a hand over his arm, tending to his cuts and scratches as Reilena shook the last bits of glass from his body. After mending his arms, Aerith moved to examine his face; his eyelids twitched, and Aerith gasped as he opened his eyes, glancing up at her in confusion.   
  
"What…where am I?" he asked, sitting up slowly; he tried to mask his grimacing, but to no avail, and both women sat back. Aerith smiled shyly, offering her hand to him, and helped him to his feet.   
  
"This is the church in the Sector 5 Slums," Aerith replied. "Do you remember me by any chance?" Confused, the young man looked over her. The teal eyes and long brunette hair tied in a pink ribbon looked familiar, but he didn't remember her name.   
  
"You were the flower girl at that kiosk, weren't you?" he asked. Aerith smiled.  
  
"Yes, after the explosion at Reactor One." She nodded, holding a hand out shyly. "My name's Aerith Gainsborough."  
  
"Cloud Strife," the young man replied, shaking Aerith's hand. He then glanced over at the other woman, raising an eyebrow. "I remember you - over at Tifa's bar, you were that one who told me not to argue with her." Aerith shot her sister a surprised look as Reilena laughed, flicking her hair from her eyes.  
  
"That's me. I'm Reilena, Aerith's little sister," she replied, taking Cloud's hand in a shake. Next to her, Reilena heard Aerith sigh, and smiled lightly; it seemed as if Aerith had already taken a liking to the young man. Before she could say anything to her sister however, the doors at the front of the church rattled, breaking the silence. The trio turned their eyes to the door, and Aerith's gaze narrowed in frustration.  
  
"Rei, go look and see who that is," she ordered. Reilena opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it when she saw the expression on Aerith's face; if it was who they thought it was, they were in serious trouble. With a silent nod, Reilena wiped her hands on her pants and headed toward the door. Aerith then turned to face Cloud, taking his hands in hers. "Cloud, I need to ask a favour of you."  
  
"O-kay," he said, glancing down at his hands in hers. Aerith sighed.  
  
"Will you be my bodyguard?" Cloud's head shot up, and he stared at Aerith in shock. Her face remained serious. "Please. If I'm right in thinking who's at the door, then both Reilena and I are going to be in trouble. Will you protect us?" She watched his face for a reaction, her eyes softening just a bit when Cloud nodded. "Thank you so much…"  
  
"Aerith! Cloud! We gotta get outta here," Reilena shouted, running up to the pair. She picked up the basket of tools that she and Aerith had brought with them and shoved Aerith forward. "C'mon, we need to take the back way - it's who you thought it was Aerith," she continued, knowing Aerith was about to argue. Gasping, she gestured for Cloud to get ahead of them when the doors at the front of the church burst open. Aerith, Cloud, and Reilena froze in their tracks, listening to the sound of footsteps walking calmly down the church corridor.   
  
"Aerith, Reilena…who would have ever though I would find you both in here?" a familiar male voice asked non-chalantly. Aerith tensed as Reilena clenched her fists, and both women turned; Cloud remained standing behind them. Six blue-uniformed SOLDIERS stood behind the man who had spoken; he tossed his scarlet ponytail off of his shoulder, raising an eyebrow as he smirked at Aerith and Reilena. "Now you know you've been enough trouble on us for far too long, so do us both a favour and surrender yourselves now." Silent, Aerith shook her head, and the man laughed. "I must applaud your confidence Aerith, but it's too late now."  
  
"Bite your goddamned tongue, Reno," Reilena hissed. Turning to the younger of the two, Reno strode over to Reilena, clicking his tongue as he shook his head. He reached out to touch her cheek, and stopped when she growled. "Get your SOLDIERs and your own Turk ass out of here. You have no business with us…"  
  
"But I _do_ have business with you, my dear," Reno replied with a smirk. "You see, I have orders from the higher-ups to bring a Miss Aerith Gainsborough and a Miss Reilena Gainsborough back to the Shinra Building. My bosses were very strict with their orders; I must bring you back, willing or unwilling, so I would suggest that you…" he stopped, having seen Cloud standing behind the Gainsboroughs, and sighed. "Now look, you went and brought another person into our entire mess. I guess this will have to be an unwilling capture." Reno strode forth, snatching Aerith's wrist harshly; to his surprise, Aerith kneed him in the gut. She tore her hand from his grasp as he keeled over and shoved both Reilena and Cloud toward the back exit.   
  
"Go! Now!" she yelled. Cloud dashed ahead, heading for a staircase in the back room that led to the upper floor of the church. He took the stairs two at a time and climbed up onto the rafters of the church ceiling, but stopped when he heard machine gun blasts. Eyes wide, Cloud glanced down to see two SOLDIERs firing on Aerith and Reilena; the two women ducked to avoid the gunfire, and then rose, glancing about anxiously.   
  
"Aerith!" Hearing her name, Aerith glanced up and saw Cloud standing behind a barrel on the rafters. "You and Reilena stay there for a minute; I have an idea." Nodding, Aerith took Reilena's arm, shaking her head when the younger girl went to argue with her, and pulled her back slowly. The SOLDIERs advanced one step for every one the two women took back, their guns trained on them. A rumble came from overhead, and a large barrel dropped from the ceiling, blocking the soldiers' view of the girls. Cloud laughed under his breath before yelling, "Hurry!"  
  
They didn't need to be told twice; Aerith and Reilena dashed toward the wooden steps of the church, running up as fast as they could. The remaining SOLDIERs remained on the ground, firing up at the women as they escaped. Aerith groaned, hit with a piece of wood splintering from the stairs, and clutched her arm. Reilena stopped, glancing down at her older sister; a tiny trail of blood marred her forearm, and she could see the splinter of wood in Aerith's arm. She grabbed a spade from the basket she and Aerith had brought to the church and flung it down at the SOLDIER in front, then grabbed Aerith's hand. "C'mon, you'll be okay," she whispered quickly, helping Aerith up the stairs and to the rafters. Cloud stood in the shadows in the back of the church, near a hole in the ceiling, and strode up to meet the two young women; he noticed Aerith holding her arm and took her hand off the wound, looking over it. It seemed to be nothing more than a jagged splinter, and he glanced up at her, concerned.  
  
"Are you okay?" Aerith nodded, pulling the splinter from her arm with a silent grimace, and tossed the wood aside.   
  
"Follow me and my sister," she replied solemnly, climbing through the ceiling's gaping injury; Reilena leapt up after Aerith, and Cloud promptly followed, landing on the roof of what seemed to be another building. Aerith and Reilena stopped to catch their breath as Cloud glanced around, taking in the scenery; he didn't recognize where they were at, and waited for the two women to rest up. A few seconds later, Aerith and Reilena stood up and glanced over at the lone young man; he nodded once and followed the over the roof. Leaping onto a pile of mechanical refuse, he finally broke the silence.  
  
"So what was going on back there?" he asked. Reilena laughed contemptuously; Aerith sighed.  
  
"My sister and I have been…well, _hunted_, for lack of a better term, by the Turks for quite some time," she began. Cloud came up beside Aerith, confused.  
  
"What do you mean? What do you have that they want?"  
  
"Nothing!" Aerith muttered quickly. "We have nothing they want, and yet they continue to send Reno out after us. That's why I asked you to be our bodyguard - we need someone to protect us from the Turks, and from Shinra." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, sliding down a bit on a metallic plate before jumping off onto the ground. Reilena followed a second later, and Cloud landed in front of them.   
  
"So you have nothing, and yet they go after you?" Aerith nodded; Reilena's face took on a confused façade.  
  
"Aerith, what are you…ow!" she growled, holding her side; Aerith shook her head fiercely, having elbowed her younger sister. "Okay, I'm sorry. _Don't_ listen to me then." Rolling her eyes, Reilena stalked off northbound; Aerith glanced back at her, a forlorn sheen in her eyes, and then turned to Cloud. The young man looked genuinely confused, and she dropped her eyes to the ground for a moment to exhale before continuing.  
  
"Anyways, you must be tired. Come on," she said, beckoning Cloud on. "I'll bring you to mine and Reilena's house. I really should talk to her anyhow…something's been on her mind lately," Aerith murmured to herself. Intrigued, Cloud walked up beside Aerith.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked. Aerith shook her head, waving her hand listlessly in the air as they came up to a modest two-story house just outside the slums.   
  
"Never mind," Aerith said quietly. She walked up to the door and opened it, gesturing for Cloud to follow her, and strode into the main room. "I'm home, Mom."  
  
A middle-aged woman walked out, a dishtowel tucked into her skirt and dark hair up in a haphazard bun. She hurried over to Aerith, hugging her tightly, and then looked over at Cloud. "Well now, who is this young man?" she asked in a tired yet warm voice. Aerith nodded toward Cloud, and he came up beside her, nodding silently.  
  
"This is my bodyguard, Cloud," she said. "Cloud, this is my mom, Elmyra." Cloud bowed his head politely; Elmyra ignored his gesture and clamped her hands down on Aerith's shoulders, looking over her worriedly.  
  
"Bodyguard? You mean…you were followed again?" she asked. Aerith nodded, and Elmyra looked over her again, her eyes widening when she saw the small cut on her arm. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm alright. I had Cloud with me, after all," she replied in a slightly irritated tone. Elmyra noticed Aerith's tension and stepped back, holding her hands before her makeshift apron.   
  
"Well thank you Cloud, for protecting my girls," she replied. Cloud remained silent still, and Aerith turned to him, tilting her head curiously. Sensing that Aerith wanted privacy, Elmyra returned to her dishes in the kitchen.  
  
"So what are you planning on doing now?" Cloud shrugged, scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Sector 7's not too far from here, is it?" Aerith shook her head. "Okay, 'cause I want to go to Tifa's bar." Immediately Aerith's eyes fell.  
  
"Is Tifa…a girl?" she asked shyly. Cloud nodded slowly. "A girl…friend?"  
  
"No!" Cloud's voice took on a tense, slightly higher pitch, and Aerith laughed.  
  
"You don't have to get _that_ upset over it!" she teased. Cloud rolled his eyes, and Aerith walked around the small foot table, thinking aloud. "Sector 7 you said, right? That's not very far…I'll show you the way there," she finished, striding up to Cloud. He shook his head.  
  
"You have to be kidding." Aerith shook her head, and he sighed. "What, you want to put yourself in danger again?" Aerith shrugged.  
  
"I'm used to it."  
  
"Used to it?" Cloud asked incredulously. Aerith nodded, and he sighed, holding his chin in thought. "Well I dunno…getting help from a girl…"  
  
"A _girl_?" Aerith spat. "What do you mean by _that_?" She glared up at Cloud darkly, and he shrugged, eyes wide. Aerith threw her arms up in the air, sighing loudly. "You expect me to just sit by and listen after hearing you say something like that?" She held up a hand before Cloud could reply, and turned toward the kitchen again. "Mom! I'm taking Cloud to Sector 7. I'll be back in awhile." From beyond the kitchen, the sound of water ceased, and dishes rattled as a sigh could be heard. Elmyra walked out of the kitchen, wiping her soapy hands on her apron as she regarded her oldest daughter with a worried glance.   
  
"But dear…" Aerith simply glanced back at Elmyra, and she dropped her shoulders. "I give up. You never listen once you've made up your mind - both you and your sister are like that." She glanced over at the large clock on the wall before turning back to Aerith. "But why don't you go in the morning? It's getting late now, and you never know what might happen at this hour," she pleaded.   
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right Mom," Aerith agreed, reluctant. Elmyra nodded.  
  
"Of course. Aerith, please go and make the guest bed for Cloud here." Nodding, Aerith started for the stairs, and Elmyra turned to re-enter the kitchen; just before walking in however, she turned and hurried over to Aerith, catching her before she started up to the second floor, and motioned for her to come closer. Obliging, Aerith leaned toward Elmyra. "I would like you to talk to your sister tonight as well. She came in here just before you and Cloud, and looked depressed. I think she needs to talk to someone." Aerith nodded knowingly, and started up the stairs. Elmyra watched as Aerith rounded the corner, and waited until she heard the guest room door open before turning to Cloud. The young man was still standing near the doorway, glancing around the house quietly. Taking a deep breath, Elmyra walked over to Cloud and looked over him; he peered up at her and she nodded to herself. "That glow in your eyes…you're from SOLDIER, aren't you?" she asked, a tense tone in her voice.   
  
"Yeah…well, I used to be, at least," he replied. "Don't worry - I have nothing to do with them anymore." He watched as Elmyra glanced down at her hands, shaking her head, and finally looked back up at Cloud.  
  
"Cloud…well, I don't know exactly how to say this, but…" she took a deep breath, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Would you leave here, tonight? Without telling Aerith or Reilena?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, and nodded slowly. Elmyra smiled sadly. "Thank you. I believe the guest room is ready for you, so you better go up there and rest a bit," she finished, turning back to the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow in slight confusion, Cloud walked over to the stairs, taking them two at a time. He reached the top just as Aerith came out of a room on the far end of the hallway. She smiled politely, pointing down the hall.   
  
"Your room is down there. I have it all set for you." Cloud nodded, and Aerith walked past him, heading for a door on the opposite end. He watched her, curious, as she leaned toward the door, listening inside as she laid a hand on the knob lightly. Exhaling deeply, she turned to see Cloud still looking at her, and laughed quietly. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you…you need to go through Sector 6 to get to Sector 7. That part of the slums is pretty dangerous, so you should get some rest now."  
  
"What about you?" Cloud asked. Aerith shook her head.  
  
"I need to talk to Reilena a bit. Thank you for your concern though," she replied. With a slight shrug, Cloud started down the hall, and strode into the guest room. Aerith watched as he walked into his room and closed the door, and sighed to herself. _Good night Cloud_, she said silently, and opened Reilena's door. Her little sister sat on the windowsill overlooking the garden, her head bowed, already in her nightgowns. Quiet as she could, Aerith closed the door behind her and walked over to Reilena, sitting down beside her; Reilena took a breath, rolling her clasped hands back and forth.   
  
"Aerith, I'm scared," she whispered, not looking up. Aerith gazed over her sister, an eyebrow raised even as she ran a hand through Reilena's hair, reassuring.  
  
"What is it? It's not Cloud, is it?" she asked. Reilena shook her head fiercely, turning to Aerith as she wiped at her eyes.   
  
"No, it's not him…it's this." Cautious, Aerith sat back as Reilena held her hands open; a small silver Materia lay in her palms, a strange glow emanating from the smooth stone. Aerith's eyes widened, and she glanced up at Reilena; the younger girl hung her head, rolling the Materia in her hands. "I came home before you and Cloud did - after you kinda shut me up back there," Reilena began; Aerith smiled guiltily, but Reilena shrugged. "Don't worry about it, I'm not upset with you - I should've kept my mouth shut, you were right in elbowing me. Anyway, I came home before you guys, and just walked upstairs; Elmyra tried asking me what was wrong, but I ignored her, and came into my room, listening for you and Cloud to get back. It was the weirdest thing though; when I heard the door open, when I heard Cloud walk into the house, the Materia began to glow like it is now. I tried picking it up, and it was warm, like someone had been holding it." Reilena shivered; Aerith laid an arm across her sister's shoulder, hugging her. "I…I've had it here in my hands ever since, and it hasn't yet lost its glow; I don't know where it's coming from, nor why it's glowing."   
  
Silent, Aerith held her free hand out. Reilena dropped the Materia into Aerith's palm, and the older girl peered closely at the stone. The glow dimmed considerably, and her brow furrowed in thought. "Rei, who gave you this Materia?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Whom did you get this from?" Aerith repeated, holding the Materia stone out; Reilena took the Materia back, and its glow brightened as it landed in her hand. Reilena shook her head, closing her hand over the glowing stone.   
  
"I…I can't tell you," Reilena whispered. Aerith peered at her sister; she tried to hide behind her sanguine hair, but Aerith brushed Reilena's hair back, gazing into her violet eyes.  
  
"Rei, please don't hide it from me. I swear to you I won't get upset." Again, Reilena shook her head. Aerith's shoulders fell slightly, and she blew out a light sigh. "I'm not going to bed until you tell me. I won't tell anyone who it's from, I promise."  
  
"You swear it?" Reilena asked in a near-whisper. Aerith nodded, holding out her pinky.  
  
"I swear it." Sighing, Reilena hooked her pinky in her sister's in their childhood promise-keeping tradition, and dropped her hand immediately after. She unclenched her other hand and looked down at the still-shining Materia, closing her eyes as she tried to take a breath.  
  
"This particular Materia…" she began, rolling the stone in her hand as she spoke in a near-whisper. "This one…is a rare Materia, one of the rarest here, I'd think." Reilena gazed up at Aerith, her eyes full of worry, and bit her lip as she hung her head. "The silver Materia was a gift given to me by Sephiroth."   
  
Silence. Aerith's eyes widened as she raised a hand to her mouth, every word she'd been planning to say just evaporating into the air. Reilena looked up, catching Aerith's pained expression, and shut her eyes, holding the Materia close. "I _knew_ I shouldn't have said anything. I swore never to tell anyone…because of his disappearance, and with all the shit going down in Midgar, I thought it would be easier if no one knew about…well, us," Reilena murmured, tucking her hair behind an ear, the Materia still rolling in her hand.   
  
"It's true, then," Aerith said; she brushed her brunette hair off her shoulder, taking her sister's free hand in both of hers, and watched her for a reaction. "There _was_ something between you and that young man five years ago."  
  
Reilena nodded. "I can't explain it; it was like he and I were meant to meet there, meant to…sheez, I don't want to say together, especially with all this…ruckus…and I don't want to sound like some dumbassed romance novel" - Reilena immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, knowing Aerith didn't much appreciate her cussing, but the older girl didn't seem to mind for the time being - "but that's what it's like. But lately…with the visions I've been plagued with, and with the news President Shinra's been spreading, I don't know what to think anymore." She held the Materia up; its sheen seemed even brighter than before, and Aerith was forced to turn away for a moment. "This is the first time in months that I've actually picked up this stone - ever since he gave it to me, I've been thinking about having it made into a pendant, but never really got around to doing it." Reilena sighed, closing her fingers over the Materia so that Aerith could turn back. "There you go. Now you know where it's from, another reason why I'm acting a little moody…anything else I can help you with before you head out?"  
  
Aerith shook her head, a tired but kind smile on her lips. "No. I'm just going to go to bed now. I'm bringing Cloud over to Sector 7 tomorrow…" she stopped when Reilena began shaking her head, and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"  
  
"I overheard Elmyra," the younger girl said. "While you were up here straightening the guest room for Cloud. She asked him to leave here tonight, without us. I think she's telling him that 'cause she's worried about us." She glanced up and saw an irate look cross her sister's face. "If I were you, I'd sleep as much as you can now, and when Cloud wakes up, we can sneak outta here and meet him at the entrance to Sector 6. I know a shortcut there," Reilena finished. She rolled the Materia in her hands, waiting for Aerith's reply. After a moment, Aerith nodded.  
  
"Alright. Are you sure you'll be up when Cloud is?" she asked. Reilena blew her hair out of her eyes, a no-nonsense look on her face.  
  
"Does it look like I'm getting to sleep anytime soon?" she shot back; Aerith laughed quietly, patting Reilena's cheek.  
  
"Wake me up when you hear him get up then," Aerith replied. Reilena nodded, but held a hand up before Aerith could leave. "What is it?"  
  
"If I were you, I'd bring a weapon along." A raised eyebrow; the younger girl sighed. "Sector 6 isn't full of the nicest people on earth, and you never quite know what you'll run into." Aerith shrugged, blowing a strand of chocolate-brown hair from her eyes.  
  
"Thanks for the warning." Aerith smiled, waving to her sister. "Good night Rei…don't forget to wake me when you hear Cloud." Telling Aerith that she wouldn't forget, Reilena closed the door behind her sister and then leaned against it with a sigh, sliding down to the ground. She still held the silver Materia in her hand; out of curiosity she glanced down at it. Its shine was beginning to dim just a bit, but was still there. Reilena sighed, setting the stone back in the small jewelry case she had kept it in for the past five years, and sat on her bed, turning off the table lamp that kept her room lit. She didn't want to sleep; the last vision she had had with the sable-haired young man had scared her, yet it had also intrigued her…just who was he? Why did she keep seeing him in premonitions? What had Dr. Hojo done to him? And why did he know her name?  
  
Stifling a yawn, Reilena pulled her covers back and finally laid down, pulling the blankets over herself as she closed her eyes, trying to sleep.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Tifa, are you outta your mind?" Barret yelled, turning on his heel. AVALANCHE had once again regrouped at Tifa's Seventh Heaven; since Cloud's loss though, the bar had been closed to everyone but those in the rebel group, and Tifa had been unlike herself.   
  
Brushing her dark brunette hair from her eyes, Tifa shook her head, arms crossed over her chest. "No. It sounds like an insane idea Barret, but it just might work," she argued. Barret rolled his eyes, running his hand over his face.  
  
"So you're willing to whore yourself out and say it's in the name of AVALANCHE? That's a _real_ good plan, Tifa Lockeheart," he mumbled. Tifa's eyes widened angrily, and she raised an eyebrow as the rest of the group fell silent, watching the argument between the two leaders unfold.  
  
"I _never_ said I was whoring myself out, so don't you EVER take that tone," Tifa growled. Her fists clenched, she stalked toward Barret, throwing a chair aside as if it were nothing. "Don Corneo has obvious ties to Shinra and Co., not to mention the fact that his weasels have been hanging around the Seventh Heaven a bit too often for my tastes. Perhaps if I go to his house, and the sleaze chooses me for the night, I can get him to talk." She raised a gloved fist in the air just as Barret opened his mouth to argue. "He doesn't know what he's messing with, anyhow; if he says I'm a killer beauty in a gown, he won't know how literally that term can be taken now, will he?" Tifa continued in a sly tone, an eyebrow raised. Barret regarded the young woman silently; a second later a grin spread across his face, and he clapped his hand down on her shoulder.  
  
"And to think people doubt you! Excellent plan there," he said, turning to the rest of the team. "Biggs, Wedge, Jessie! Tifa is going to infiltrate Corneo's Mansion. The rest of us will keep a low profile, listen in on whatever the prez has planned next." Barret's voice took on a distant tone as he gazed toward the bar; Marlene lay sleeping, her thumb in her mouth, and Barret smiled for a moment. "We've destroyed two of his Mako reactors already - whatever he's planning next can't be good for us at all." Silently, the trio nodded in agreement, and a chocobo's cry resounded from the outside. Barret's brow furrowed, tensing his gun arm, and turned to Tifa. "Go tell them the bar is closed!" he hissed. Tifa shook her head, striding toward the door.  
  
"That's my ride to Wall Market," she replied. "I hired a chocobo cart to bring me there, since they had to make a delivery to the pharmacy there anyhow." Tifa waved to the others, and laid a hand on Barret's shoulder. "Take care of Marlene. I should be back here soon." Barret nodded solemnly, turning to watch Tifa board the cart. The driver motioned for her to jump in the back of the cart, and Tifa leapt aboard, opting to sit at the very end of the cart. A crack of a whip, and the chocobo set off at a brisk walk; Tifa gazed down at her hands nervously, rethinking her plans.   
  
_I wonder if Cloud is alright…I hope he made it out of the explosion alive._  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Sunlight poured into the room, assaulting his vision. Yawning, Cloud sat up in the bed, rubbing his eyes. "Oh man…I must've fallen asleep," he muttered to himself. Quite a shock that was; he hadn't slept too well at all. Strange voices in his head had kept him awake for some time. Shaking his head, Cloud stretched his arms above his head, and then stood up, dressing himself. A couple moments later, he was at the window, gazing out over the gardens; for living in the slums, the Gainsboroughs had managed to cultivate a beautiful hideaway. Cloud tilted his head, looking out over the flowers thoughtfully, and then shook his head. _I have to get outta here - I promised Elmyra I'd leave before the girls woke up_, he thought, sheathing his sword. What had Aerith said though? "Sector 7's past Sector 6…she said something about it being dangerous…I should be alright by myself," Cloud said to himself. One last glance around to make sure he had everything, and just before he stepped out of the room, he noticed a package beside the door with his name on it. His brow furrowed, Cloud knelt down and opened it up, laughing silently; there was a Potion, Elixir, and an Antidote in the box. Pocketing the items, he stood back up and opened the door, peering down the hallway.  
  
Aerith and Reilena's doors were closed; Cloud guessed that they were still asleep. He wasn't about to take any chances though, and walked quietly along the stair railing, almost tiptoeing down the stairs, and strode out of the house, closing the door carefully behind him as he let out a long sigh he'd been inadvertently holding.   
  
"Well, that's that," he muttered. "Now to head to Sector 7." Cloud ran a hand through his spiked hair, walking through the surprisingly quiet streets of Sector 5. There were only a few people out and about at this time, including that woman who kept her eyes to the ground; besides them though, the only noise came from the giant screen above the Materia shop, broadcasting the Midgar news. Cloud rolled his eyes, heading for the entrance to Sector 6. To his relief, the people who had been blocking the way yesterday were gone; as he strode up to the tunnel however, two people stepped out from behind the wreckage surrounding the entrance. Cloud kept silent as he walked up to them, though he knew his shock had to be in his eyes when he saw that it was Aerith and Reilena Gainsborough waiting for him. Both girls smiled knowingly as Cloud stopped, his jaw slightly agape. Aerith giggled shyly.  
  
"Well, you're up bright and early," she teased. Cloud stared at her still; Reilena rolled her eyes, blowing her sanguine hair from her face.  
  
"And I think we've scared him." She waved a hand before Cloud's eyes; finally he blinked, and looked between both girls, shaking his head.  
  
"How could I ask you to go along when I know it would be dangerous?" he finally said. "Sector 6 is a complete wreck in itself; there's broken streets, mechanical garbage…"  
  
"Ladders to climb over, random hoodlums and creatures," Reilena continued, ticking them off on her fingers. Cloud stared at her, an eyebrow raised, and she laughed. "I've been there before with Tifa." She gestured toward her waist; amid two criss-crossing belts was a small leather satchel slung on her hips. Cloud snorted as Reilena flipped the satchel open, and held up a pair of daggers, raising an eyebrow as Cloud's face took on a surprised look. "We know what we're up against; I have these, Aerith has her own weapon, and you obviously have yours…"  
  
"Are you both done?" Aerith interrupted, hands on her hips. Reilena nodded, replacing her daggers with a smirk as Cloud nodded. Aerith smiled, gesturing toward Sector 6. "Good. Now, you have to go through the slums in Sector 6 as well - Wall Market - in order to get to Tifa's Seventh Heaven. Reilena and I will take you there, so c'mon!" Aerith spun on her heel and walked through the entrance; Reilena and Cloud watched her retreating back, and Reilena shook her head with a laugh.  
  
"She doesn't know what she's getting into," she mumbled. Cloud regarded Reilena with a no-nonsense glance.  
  
"And you do?" he retorted. She shook her head.  
  
"Never said I did, but I know it's nothing to go running into headlong." Reilena shrugged, nodding toward Aerith. "Well, let's get moving." She took off at a brisk jog to catch up to her sister, and Cloud sighed, rolling his eyes as he followed both girls.   
  
_What the hell have I gotten myself into?_


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** The characters/places named in this fiction are the copyrighted property of SquareEnix. Reilena Gainsborough is the copyrighted property of Vinja Ryou. This was done in fun. Now...on with the Muddy Mudskipper Show.

* * *

"No way. I'm _not_ doing this," Cloud grumbled, his arms firmly crossed. Behind him, Aerith and Reilena laughed, pushing him ahead.  
  
"Look, if you want to find Tifa, you're going to have to become a girl," Aerith replied in between giggles. "This is the only thing you have to do on your own. Rei and I will get everything else for you." Cloud arched an eyebrow; both girls nodded, though still giggling.  
  
"The three of us are going to Corneo Mansion, right?" Reilena continued; Cloud nodded slowly, and she shrugged. "Then the least you can do is go to the Honey Bee Inn alone. Besides, it's a place for you men anyhow." She shoved the membership card in Cloud's hand, and then pushed him toward the gaudy nightclub. He stopped just in front of the bouncers and turned to the two girls, shooting them both a dark look. Reilena and Aerith shook their heads, grinning. "Meet us back at the dress shop when you're finished with your business here. Aerith and I will be waiting for you, and we'll have everything ready." Cloud rolled his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh.  
  
"Fine. I'm going. But," he stopped, pointing at the sisters with a raised eyebrow and narrowed eyes, "if anything happens to me in there, you owe me," he finished. Aerith and Reilena peered at each other before turning back to Cloud with matching nods. He looked between them once more, and then turned to the bouncers, handing them the membership card they'd been given by the indecisive guy out front. The host took the card and handed it back to Cloud, glancing past him at Aerith and Reilena.  
  
"You ladies sure you don't want to come in here as well?" he asked. They laughed, and Cloud stepped in front of the host, the look on his face telling the host that he was not one to be messed with. "Okay, I see that you want to come in alone. Right this way." He raised a hand in the air, snapping his fingers; not even a minute later, a young woman in a skimpy bee costume walked out and took Cloud's hand, leading him inside. Aerith and Reilena's eyes widened as they clapped their hands over their mouths to stifle their laughter, ignoring the glare Cloud shot them. Once he was inside, both girls made their way through the horde of men clamoring toward the inn and returned to Wall Market to gather the rest of Cloud's disguise.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Well, we've only got two rooms open right now," the hostess said, shivering a bit. Cloud set his jaw as he glanced around. The room was a circular shape - the large twin doors ahead said "Make-Up Room," which he guessed was for the hostesses. Not wanting to look in the peepholes to see what was available, Cloud turned to the hostess.  
  
"Which ones are they?" Sighing, the girl walked first to the left, and then the right before returning to Cloud's side.   
  
"We have the Group Room over here" - she pointed to the room on the left - "and then there's the…single room over there," she finished, pointing to the right. Cloud shuddered inwardly; neither place sounded particularly appealing, but he wanted to get this done and over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. He pulled out a Gil coin and laid it in his hand.  
  
"Heads - Group, tails - single," he muttered under his breath. The bee-girl next to him rolled her eyes again, but waited as Cloud flipped the coin in the air. He caught it and set it on the back of his hand, letting out a heavy sigh; the coin had landed on heads. Silent, Cloud gestured toward the Group Room, and the girl laughed under her breath, pulling the room key out of one of her 'wings.'   
  
"Nice choice, mister," she giggled, holding the door open for him; she followed him inside and replaced the key as she glanced around. Cloud let his glance wander over the room; to his surprise, it seemed pretty nice, although the bathtub at the far end of the room was a little out of place. Before he could ask the hostess anything, a door opened, and the sound of several footsteps entered the room. Cloud spun on his heel and came face to face with what looked to be at least fifteen other men, the one in front looking him over with a smile.  
  
"Well hello hello!" the man said, his voice sounding almost like the bee-girl's. Cloud nodded silently as the hostess left, biting the inside of his cheek. "I think I speak for all of my friends here when I say that you have such lovely eyes," the man continued with a smile.   
  
"Thanks," Cloud replied. The group giggled as one, and then the leader gestured toward the bathtub.   
  
"What do you say we all have a nice relaxing bubble bath?" The rest of the men strode over, climbing in; a moment later, they all glanced over at Cloud, waving him over. "C'mon in! The water's fine!"  
  
_The sooner this ends, the better - Aerith and Reilena owe me_, Cloud thought, setting his jaw as he sat on the very edge of the tub; there was no way he was getting in with everyone else. Unfortunately for Cloud though, there was no way he was going to get away with remaining silent; the men quickly tried to get Cloud to talk.  
  
"Well, what is your name, dear?" a bald man in blue asked.   
  
"Cloud." Silent, Cloud began counting backward from ten in his head - once he hit one, he was getting out of the tub area, no matter what.  
  
"Pretty name!" another one said - this one had brown hair. "How old are you?"  
  
_Nine_. "Twenty-one."  
  
"I remember when I was that young, don't you Richie?" the brunet said. Immediately, the group immersed themselves in conversation amongst themselves, and Cloud remained on his perch, counting down in his head. Suddenly…"Cloud, what do you do for a living?"  
  
_Five_. "I don't have a job."  
  
"That must be so nice!"  
  
_Four_. "Yeah, it is."  
  
"Have you ever been to the hot springs near Mount Corel?" the lead man asked.  
  
_Three_. "…no."  
  
"Such a pity!" he replied sadly. A moment later, he snapped his fingers, and Cloud glanced up, still biting his cheek. "How would you like to come up there with the rest of us next week?"  
  
_Two, one_. "No thank you," Cloud said quickly. "Y'know, I'm done in here, I'm getting out now."  
  
"Then we all will!" the lead man replied. Obligingly, the rest of the group climbed out of the huge tub, and reassembled in front of Cloud, who was inching toward the door. "Oh, just wait Cloud!"  
  
"…what?" he asked, wishing the man would just shut up and let him out. To his shock, the man handed Cloud what looked to be a string of cloth while the rest of the men left the room.   
  
"Take this as a momento of our time together," the man replied. He waved quickly before following the others, and left Cloud alone in the room. Curious, Cloud held the garment up to the light, his eyes widening when he realized what they were.   
  
"This…is _underwear_?" Cloud said to himself. "Bikini briefs?" He quickly pocketed the undergarment and left the room as quickly as he could. The hostess watched as Cloud strode quickly out of the building, and giggled behind her hands. Outside, the host and bouncers grinned.  
  
"Enjoy yourself?"  
  
"Immensely," Cloud said, emotionless. Ignoring his flat tone, the host shook Cloud's hand.   
  
"Come back anytime!" he said. Cloud nodded silently, and made his way back to Wall Market, planning exactly what he was going to say to both Gainsborough girls when he saw them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Aerith and Reilena set the rest of Cloud's disguise on the counter of the dressing room in the shop, still laughing under their breath over it all. They'd managed to gather a blonde braided wig, a diamond tiara, perfume, and put it all with the violet dress the dressmaker had sewn for them. "I never imagined that I'd be helping a _guy_ dress up for something!" Aerith giggled, shaking her head as she and Reilena walked out into the shop to look over the gowns. "I'm used to helping you out, but _Cloud_?"  
  
"I wonder if he'd be a pretty girl," Reilena answered with a smile, flipping through the dresses. "I mean, violet brings out blonde hair ever so nicely," she continued in a pompous voice; Aerith burst out laughing, and then pulled a strappy crimson dress from a clothes rack.   
  
"What do you think of this, Rei?" she asked, holding the dress up against herself. "I kinda like it…" Reilena shot her sister a curious look, and Aerith shrugged. "What? If Cloud's going to infiltrate the Corneo Mansion, don't you think we should help?" Rolling her eyes, Reilena faced her sister, hands on her hips and an eyebrow arched.  
  
"Aerith, have you even _heard_ of Don Corneo? He thinks he's the celestial gift to women everywhere. If you think I'm going in there, you're dead wrong," she replied. "I'm helping Cloud out, that's it. Besides, I thought you and I were gonna lay low here until Cloud and Tifa get outta there." Aerith shrugged.  
  
"I thought it would be nice if we went in there with him. I mean, think of this way," she continued, noticing the exasperated look on her sister's face. "After what Cloud's gone through lately, and us giving him a hard time about having to go to the Honey Bee Inn and cross dress as it is, the least we can do is carry on the charade with him, don't you think?"  
  
"Aerith…"  
  
"Don't you want to find out what the heck Tifa's doing there, too?" Aerith added, watching Reilena for an answer. Dropping her eyes to the ground, Reilena finally sighed, and Aerith grinned. "Then it's settled. We'll head there with him, get Tifa, and everything will be all right. So…you never answered me. What do you think of this dress?" she said. Reilena glanced up at Aerith and gave her thumbs up.  
  
"Looks nice, sis," she replied, turning back to the dress racks. She listened for Aerith to go into the dressing room, and flipped through the garments with a sigh. _I can't believe I'm doing this_, she muttered under her breath; nonetheless, she laughed quietly, listening to Aerith fuss with her gown in the other room as she tried to choose one for herself. There really wasn't much there, though…her eyes widening, Reilena slowly pulled a dress off of its hanger, holding it up in front of herself. A deep ebony colour, the dress was off-shoulder, with long sleeves and a princess neckline - and somehow looked familiar to Reilena. Swallowing back her breath, she turned toward a mirror, holding the gown up to herself; the skirt dusted the ground, and the dressmaker came up behind her with a smile.  
  
"Gorgeous choice there, young lady," the dressmaker said. Reilena turned around in surprise, and the older man laughed. "In fact - since you and your friends have helped me out of my depression, whichever dresses you choose, you may keep."  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Aerith called from behind the dressing room curtain. The tailor shook his head.  
  
"No. Consider it a token of gratitude," he replied; Aerith walked out of the room, holding the scarlet gown in her arms.  
  
"Thank you so much!" she said. "May I take this dress then?" Before the tailor could make his reply, the door to the shop swung open, and heavy footsteps plodded over to the trio. Both Aerith and Reilena burst out laughing at the look on Cloud's face; he glared at both girls.  
  
"You owe me in the biggest way. Do you have any idea what I had to go through?" he cried, rummaging through his pocket to show them what he had gotten. "And all for this!" Eyes widened, the girls glanced at the skimpy underwear Cloud held in the air, and then burst out laughing. Cloud glowered, shoving the undergarment back in his pockets. "Yeah, you laugh - you're the people that wear this kind of stuff!"  
  
"Maybe girls do, but most of the ones I know don't work at the Honey Bee Inn," Aerith replied, hiding her laughter behind her hands. Cloud strode toward the dressing room, sighing at the rest of the disguise he had to put on, and pulled the curtain closed. The tailor chuckled, sitting behind his counter, and Aerith and Reilena glanced at each other, smiling; Aerith noticed the dress her sister held, and gestured toward it. "What dress did you pick out, Rei?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, this one." She held it before herself so that Aerith could get a good look at it; the older sister looked over it with an approving smile. "Yeah, I know it's a little dark - gothic even - but I like it. It's…"  
  
"Elegant," Aerith finished, glancing up at her sister. "It'll look wonderful on you." The curtains to the dressing room were pulled open, and Cloud shuffled out into the room, holding his violet skirts before him. Aerith and Reilena looked over him with wide grins, nodding slowly.  
  
"Well…he _does_ make a cute girl," Reilena said. Cloud glared at her through narrowed eyes.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"She's right," Aerith agreed. "Now all you need is a bit of make-up, and then you can head up to Corneo Mansion as soon as Reilena and myself have changed." Cloud's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"First you accompanied me here, and now you're going to Corneo Mansion?" he asked, exasperated. Aerith nodded, and took the lipstick Reilena handed her, silencing Cloud.  
  
"Yes we are, and there's no changing our minds." Aerith glanced over at Reilena, gesturing toward the dressing room. "Rei, you go change while I make Cloud look like a dashing young woman." Reilena nodded obediently, stifling her laughter; Aerith turned back to Cloud, and raised an eyebrow at the furious look he shot her. "Oh hush up. You make it seem so much worse than it is."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
He raised a bushy black eyebrow, glancing over the trio of women before him with a grin. "Well, hello there ladies. Here to speak with the Don, I presume?" he said in a courteous tone. Aerith strode to the front of the group, smiling prettily at the guard.  
  
"Of course we are!" she chirped. "It _is_ okay if we go in there and talk to him, isn't it?" The guard smiled, laughing under his breath.  
  
"Well, you may go inside and wait in the main room until the Don summons you to his chambers," he replied. "It shouldn't be too long though - it is almost evening after all, and the Don will be making his choice soon." Stepping aside, the guard held the door open for the women, looking over them as they walked into Corneo Mansion. Once the door shut, he turned back toward Wall Market, whistling to himself.  
  
"There's one obstacle out of the way," Aerith breathed, glancing around the front room of the mansion. Cloud nodded; he'd been told by both Aerith and Reilena to remain silent so as to not ruin his façade.   
  
"Yeah…now what?" Reilena asked. Aerith looked around with a shrug before turning to face her sister and Cloud.   
  
"You're both here for a reason, at least. Go look upstairs for Tifa. I'll wait here in the foyer," she replied. With a curt nod, Cloud walked up the stairs as quickly as he could, Reilena following close behind; Aerith remained on the first floor, looking around absentmindedly, and noticed a darkened door on the leftmost wall. She turned to call her companions back; they were already heading down the stairs, shaking their heads.  
  
"She's not in any of those rooms," Cloud said in a low voice. Reilena shrugged in agreement, and Aerith gestured toward the door.  
  
"I found something that might help though. C'mon," she said, turning toward the basement door. Cloud and Reilena glanced at each other in surprise; Reilena shrugged again, and then went to follow her sister. Cloud rolled his eyes, lifting his skirts again so that he could walk down the stairs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Tifa rolled her eyes, tucking a strand of dark brunette hair behind her ears. She'd arrived on the scene, found an indigo gown from a local shop to wear here, and had been stowed in the basement of Corneo's Mansion. "What a fun night this is gonna be," she grumbled to herself, smoothing out her skirts so that she could sit down on a wooden chair. Just as she sat down however, the door to the upper level opened up, and she braced herself; the guard had said that he'd call for her when the Don was ready. Instead, several footsteps climbed down the stairs amind hushed voices, and Tifa turned toward the entrance, her eyes widened in shock when she saw who it was.  
  
"Rei?" Reilena Gainsborough nodded, holding up her ebony skirts as she walked over to Tifa.  
  
"Yeah, it's me. Aerith and Cloud are here too," she replied, gesturing behind herself. Tifa looked over her friend's shoulder, giggling when she saw Cloud; Cloud immediately stood in a corner, arms folded irritably as Aerith joined her sister.  
  
"Well, here we are. What are you doing here, Tifa?" Aerith asked calmly. Tifa shook her head, standing up.  
  
"Corneo's men have been casing my bar for some time, and we think the Don himself has some suspicious ties to Shinra," she began. "I decided to come here and infiltrate the mansion by putting myself up to be chosen by the Don as either his partner for tonight or for the Honey Bee Inn." Another sigh, and she flicked her hair behind her shoulders. "I've spent at least an hour down here, waiting for a guard to tell me when it was time for me to 'show my face to the Don.'" Tifa laughed contemptuously, glancing over at Cloud in the corner before facing the Gainsboroughs. "So why are you guys here? This isn't the greatest place on earth for you to be, and I want to know why the hell Cloud's in a skirt over there…and you look lovely too!" she called in a teasing tone. Cloud rolled his eyes, unmoving, and Aerith cleared her throat.  
  
"Cloud actually dropped into the church yesterday," she began; Tifa's eyes widened.  
  
"The explosion didn't hurt you too much, did it?" Tifa said to Cloud; Aerith and Reilena both stared at Tifa in surprise.  
  
"Explosion?" Tifa shook her head.   
  
"I'll explain later. Tell me why you're all here first." Nodding, Aerith continued.  
  
"Cloud helped Reilena and myself when Rude and his henchmen from Shinra came after us again, and I brought him to our house to rest. He wanted to get to your bar, and I told him that I would help him there. Reilena overheard Elmyra telling him to leave without us though, and so we snuck out before he left and met him at the entrance to Sector 6, intending to just bring him to Sector 7, but when we saw you on the back of the Chocobo cart, we came to Wall Market to find out what you were doing here," she finished, exhaling deeply, and pushed her ponytail back over her shoulder. Tifa turned to Reilena, who nodded silently, and folded her hands.  
  
"You guys know what you're getting into?" she asked. Both girls nodded, and Tifa excused herself. She walked over to Cloud, smiling lightly, and stopped before him, speaking in a low tone. "So you came here to find out what I was doing, and you were going to go back to the Seventh Heaven?" she asked. Cloud nodded, and Tifa smiled, fixing his braids as she continued. "So you haven't forgotten your promise; thank you, Cloud." She brushed her hand along his cheek, but before she could say more…  
  
"Hey! Get up here!" a guard called. "The Don will see you now!" He left the door open, and the troupe glanced amongst each other with simultaneous shrugs.   
  
"Let's go," Tifa said, picking up her skirts so as to climb up the stairs. Reilena followed, Aerith and Cloud taking up the rear, and were led to the second story of the house. The guard threw the red and gold doors open, allowing the women to enter before him, and closed the doors. He then strode up to the front of the room, beside the ornate gold chair. Aerith, Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa stood in line, standing up tall, and stifled their obvious surprise when Don Corneo strode out. A portly, balding man with blonde hair and blue eyes, he walked over to the women, beaming happily as he looked over each one.  
  
"Hello my beauties," he said in a slightly deep voice, his hands behind his back. "And how are we doing this evening?"  
  
"Quite well," Tifa replied, smiling. Don Corneo walked over to her, his eyes looking up and down her with a smile.  
  
"As am I, as am I." He looked up into Tifa's dark eyes; her smile was unmoving, and he finally chuckled, walking over to Reilena. Although he raised an eyebrow whilst looking over her, he glanced up at her with a small smile. "Very nice, altough I'm not in the mood for a gothic woman just now," he said. Reilena bowed her head, biting her tongue even as she smiled, and the Don moved onto Cloud. Corneo seemed to be taken in by Cloud, and strode over to Aerith, giving her the once-over before setting a hand on Cloud's shoulder.  
  
"I have made my choice for the evening," he proclaimed. "The silent blonde is the one for me tonight." Aerith, Tifa, and Reilena tried not to laugh as the Don leaned toward Cloud, whispering in 'her' ear. "Go behind the chair, through those curtains. I will be in there shortly." Cloud nodded, stoic, and walked out of the room to where the Don told him to go to; Corneo chuckled to himself and glanced over at his guards. "For such a wonderful job on this evening…you may take the remaining girls," he said, waving a hand in the air as he left for his chambers. Grinning widely, the three guards eyed the remaining girls, who backed quietly out of the Don's meeting room and into the hallway.   
  
"So, Wills…which one do you want?" the burly guard in the middle said. Wills cocked his head thoughtfully.  
  
"I like the talker," he replied; Tifa raised an eyebrow, wagging a finger in his direction. Wills smiled, walking up to Tifa. Before he could react, Tifa wrenched an arm behind his back, forcing him to his knees. She glanced over in Aerith and Reilena's direction with a quick nod; both girls promptly pulled out their weapons, brandishing them readily. The guards immediately held their hands up in surrender.  
  
"Knees. Now," Tifa ordered; the guards knelt without hesitation. Aerith and Reilena circled the men, and then pulled the ropes out of the decorative curtains in the hallway in order to bind their wrists. Tifa smirked, as did the Gainsboroughs; the man she held let out a shaky sigh.  
  
"What's the big idea here?" he asked. Tifa glared back down at him, shaking her head slowly.   
  
"We need to speak with your boss, without your help. Gotta get our friend out of there," she replied in a low voice. "So, if you and your comrades keep quiet Wills…" she gestured for Reilena to toss her a knife, and then held the blade underneath his chin, "I won't have to silence you all for eternity." She waited a moment; Wills' eyes widened, and he nodded. Smiling victoriously, Tifa held a hand out; Aerith handed the brunette a cord of rope, and she bound Wills' wrists together as well. Once she was finished, Tifa brushed her hands off on her skirts, gazing over the trio of fallen guards as Aerith and Reilena joined her.  
  
"Was the death threat really necessary, Tifa?" Aerith asked calmly. Tifa nodded.  
  
"These are bar boys, Aer. They need to be controlled the hard way," she replied. She glanced over herself and her friends, and then nodded in the direction of an open room.  
  
"What do you say we change out of these gowns and bust Cloud outta the Don's bedroom?" Tifa was met with two quick nods, and the three women headed in the room, leaving the guards in the hallway, helpless.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
_I can't believe I'm doing this_, Cloud thought to himself, tossing a blonde braid over his shoulder. He could hear the Don in the next room, most likely talking to his goons. Bored, Cloud wandered around the gaudy bedroom - bright lights kept the room aglow, and a giant paper lantern hung at the foot of the bed - and knelt down just in front of the lantern, having spied a bottle of Hyper.  
  
"Ahh, we're _finally_ alone," the Don said. Cloud shot up, quickly pocketing his findings, and took a step back as the Don leapt onto his bed, crawling toward Cloud with the same lecherous grin he'd had in the other room. "All right pussycat…come to Daddy!" Cloud raised an eyebrow, but continued to back away from Corneo; the Don ignored Cloud's attempts to dodge him. "You're so cute, I never get tired of looking at you," Corneo murmured, watching Cloud maneuver out of the corner. "Do you…like me, too?"  
  
_In your dreams!_ Cloud thought; to the Don, he smiled as girlishly as he could while nodding slowly. Corneo's grin grew, and he reached out to Cloud, pulling 'her' onto the bed. His eyes wide, Cloud quickly sat up on the edge of the mattress, straightening out his violet skirts.  
  
"Wonderful! For a moment there, I thought there was someone else on your mind," Corneo whispered; Cloud tried not to grimace. "Now how's about you give Daddy some sugar now?" Cloud shuddered, but the Don was already leaning in. Slamming his eyes shut, Cloud prepared himself for the inevitable.  
  
"_Cloud_!" A familiar voice; opening his eyes, Cloud glanced toward the doors and saw Tifa standing there, along with the Gainsborough sisters. "You weren't about to…" Cloud shook his head rapidly, and turned to see Corneo shooting him a confused look.  
  
"Dear? What's going on?" Shaking his head, Cloud leapt off the bed, landing beside Aerith, and tore off the dress and wig to reveal his normal clothing. Corneo's eyes widened, and he growled angrily.  
  
"You _tricked_ me…somebody, get in here _now_!!" Corneo hollered. Aerith and Reilena laughed to themselves, while Tifa shook her head, clicking her tongue.  
  
"Unfortunately, no one'll be coming to help," she replied. "Rei, Aerith, and myself took care of your goons. They're a little tied up, so to speak." Corneo's eyes narrowed.  
  
"And you're the girls from before," he retorted. "Wh-what the hell's going on?"  
  
"Shut up!" Tifa snapped, holding up a gloved fist. "_We're_ the ones asking the questions now." Tossing her hair back, she glanced over at Cloud before continuing. "What did your assistants find out about Sector 7?" Corneo shook his head, arms crossed in defiance, and Tifa narrowed her eyes. "_Talk_! If you don't tell us anything…"  
  
"I'll chop them off," Cloud finished. Corneo's eyes widened in fear, and he shook his head, dropping his arms toward his groin protectively.  
  
"No! Not _that_! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!" he cried.  
  
"So…_talk_," Reilena shot back. Corneo glared in her direction, but shied back when Cloud took a step toward him menacingly. He cleared his throat, wiped his eyes, and began.  
  
"I…I made 'em find out who the man with the gun-arm was," he breathed. "B-but that's what I was ordered to do!"  
  
"By who?" Tifa asked, her eyebrow arched in suspicion.  
  
"No!" Corneo wagged his head in defiance. "If I told you that, I'd be killed!" Tifa sighed irritably.  
  
"Talk!" she growled through clenched teeth. "'Cause if you don't…"  
  
"I'll _rip_ them off," Aerith threatened; both Cloud and Tifa shot surprised looks at the usually docile Aerith. Corneo, however, was freaking out; his face turned bright red, his eyes bulged, and he grasped at his throat.  
  
"Eek! Okay, okay," he sqeaked. "It was Heidegger of Shinra! Heidegger, the head of Public Safety Maintenance!"  
  
"The head of Public Safety Maintenance?" Cloud retorted, eyes narrowed; Corneo nodded maniacally.  
  
"You're serious, aren't you?" His question was met with silence, and his breathing quickened. "Ohboy, ohboy, ohboy…I'm not fooling around here, either, you know." Corneo took a deep breath to try and keep himself from hyperventilating, wiping at the sweat on his brow. "Shinra's trying to crush a small rebel group called AVALANCHE, and want to infiltrate their hideout. And, and they're really going to crush them…_literally_, by breaking the support holding up the plate above them."  
  
"Break the support?" Tifa asked; her eyes widened and she clenched her fists. Corneo nodded, a tiny smile creeping across his lips; he'd struck a nerve.  
  
"You know what's going to happen?" he asked, sitting up with slightly more confidence. "The plate'll go _ping_, and everything's gonna go _BAMM_!! I heard their hideout's in the Sector 7 slums," he added. "I'm just glad it's not here in Sector 6." Corneo took out his handkerchief, wiping the sweat off his face as he watched the troupe before him. Tifa turned to Cloud, Aerith, and Reilena, a look of absolute fear written on her face.  
  
"They're going to wipe out the Sector 7 slums!?" she murmured to herself. Tifa glanced up at Cloud, covering her mouth as the thought struck her, and dropped her hand a second later, taking Cloud's in hers. "Cloud, will you come with me to Sector 7?" Cloud nodded.  
  
"Of course, Tifa."  
  
"We're coming with you too," Reilena spoke up; Cloud gazed toward the Gainsborough sisters and gave them a curt nod. Tifa smiled, mouting 'thank you' to the girls.  
  
Unbeknownst to the small group, Corneo was inching closer to a hidden lever just underneath the huge paper lantern at the foot of his bed. He grasped behind himself, felt the wooden switch, and smiled to himself. "Just a second!" he called. Cloud glared over his shoulder at the Don.  
  
"Shut up!" Cloud barked. Corneo put on a hurt face, and Cloud rolled his eyes, motioning for everyone to turn around.  
  
"It'll only take a second, I promise," he said, and waited until he had everyone's attention. "How do you think scum like me feels when they babble on about the truth?" Confused, Aerith, Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa glanced at each other. Corneo's grin grew wider, and he threw the unseen lever. "Woo-hoo! Right!" A loud creak echoed out, and before they could react, the floor underneath the troupe gave out; they plunged into darkness, the last sound they heard being Corneo's high-pitched laughter.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Characters and places named in this fiction are (c) Square-Enix. Reilena Gainsborough is (c) Vinja Ryou. Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids.

* * *

He hated tedious meetings; this one though, was an important one, and President Shinra rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "How are the preparations going?"  
  
On his left, Heidegger chuckled; his belly shook as he laughed. "Ha, ha, ha! Smoothly, very smoothly! I assigned the Turks to this." Shinra nodded, and turned to the youngest one at the meeting. Reeve ran a hand through his chin-length hair and then glanced up at the President.  
  
"President!! Are we _really_ going to do this? Simply destroy a group with only a few members…" President Shinra sighed, folding his hands before him as he glanced calmly at Reeve.  
  
"What's the problem, Reeve? You want out?" Reeve shook his head.  
  
"…No. But as head of the Urban Development Department, I have been involved with the building and running of Midgar. That's why…" Heidegger slammed a fist on the table.  
  
"Reeve, you should flush these personal problems in the morning!" Reeve glared at the green-suited Heidegger.  
  
"The Mayor's against this, anyway…" Heidegger rolled his eyes, running a hand over his black beard.  
  
"_Mayor_? He just sits in this building all day, feeding his face! You still call _that_ a mayor? Now, if you'll excuse me sir!" he finished, glancing at President Shinra. The President bowed his head, allowing Heidegger to leave the room. Reeve blew out an agitated sigh and began to follow Heidegger, but stopped. President Shinra chuckled, rising from his seat, and clapped a hand on Reeve's shoulder.  
  
"You're tired," President Shinra began. "Why don't you take a couple of days off and go somewhere?" Reeve nodded, placed his sunglasses back on his nose, and left the room. Once the door slammed shut, President Shinra held his hands behind his back, laughing under his breath. "We'll destroy Sector 7 and report that AVALANCHE did it. Then we'll send in the rescue operation care of Shinra, Inc." A broad smile spread across his face, and President Shinra walked back to the head of the table, sitting down in his chair, and put his feet on the table, shaking his head with confidence. "Heh, heh, heh…this is _perfect_."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Cloud stood up, wiping the garbage off of himself. The trap door that Corneo had thrown on them had deposited Tifa, Aerith, Reilena, and himself in the sewers of Sector 6. Shaking his head and trying not to breathe _too_ deeply, Cloud turned to Tifa, who had already risen to her feet. "You alright?"  
  
Tifa nodded, wiping her skirt off. "Man! This is terrible." Near Tifa, Aerith and Reilena were still getting up. Cloud offered his hand to Aerith, helping her up, and then helped Reilena to her feet.  
  
"You two alright?" Reilena nodded silently, brushing garbage off of her slacks. Aerith glanced over at her sister, and then at Cloud, nodding once.  
  
"Yeah. Well, the worst is over…" she began. Tifa shook her head, her shoulders slumped.  
  
"Think what you will. You heard Corneo," Tifa sighed. She wiped at her eyes, damned if she'd show her tears, and sighed again. "It's too late…Marlene…Barret…the people of the slums…"  
  
"Tifa, don't you say that!" Reilena shot back, trudging through the water to her friend. Tifa glanced up at Reilena, her eyes wet, and Reilena threw her arms around her friend, hugging her tightly. Aerith and Cloud walked over to the duo as well, and Aerith laid a gentle hand on Tifa's shoulder. The younger girl glanced up, and Aerith smiled calmly.  
  
"Don't give up hope," she whispered. "_Never_ give up hope. It's not easy to destroy the pillar, right?" Tifa sniffed once, a slow smile coming over her face as she nodded. Reilena grinned, stepping away from Tifa.  
  
"Yeah, you're right! We still have time," Tifa cried. "Let's go!" She dashed past the trio, toward a ladder on the far side of the sewer; after a moment to regain their senses, Cloud, Reilena, and Aerith followed suit, and climbed up the ladder into the train wreckage of Sector 6. Cloud climbed up ahead of the Gainsboroughs, and helped both girls out of the manhole. Tifa replaced the cover, and the group reconvened in front of a destroyed train.   
  
"So this is the Train Graveyard," Aerith breathed. Reilena nodded, and Cloud turned to them.  
  
"Aerith, Reilena, I got you both mixed up in all of this…" he began. Both girls shook their heads.  
  
"Don't tell us to go home," Aerith replied. "We've come this far already." Cloud nodded, and Tifa strode up to the trio, a hand underneath her chin.  
  
"Everyone okay?" she asked; all three nodded, and she turned on her heel. "Let's see…if we can get past the trains that are lit up, we should be able to get out of here." Tifa peered over her shoulder at Reilena. "Rei, do you remember the way we took to get out of here?"  
  
"Somewhat…you're going to have to help me out a bit though," she replied, walking to the front of the group. Silent, she led them through the train in front of them, up a ladder to the top, and leapt across to another lit train. Tifa then took the lead, and brought them up to the entrance to Sector 7; she stopped though, when she noticed that two large train lines were blocking the way.  
  
"Damn it!" she growled, kicking the side of one train. "How the hell are we going to get through this?" Aerith held a hand up, and Cloud walked around the wreckage in thought. Without a word, he leapt into one train, driving it forward slightly; the movement caused a domino effect of all the trains pushing forward, and he jumped out.   
  
"It should be a train bridge; it's sturdy enough to hold us," he replied. The women nodded, and jumped up onto the train rooftops.  
  
"Sector 7, here we come!" Tifa yelled, leading the way once again; she pointed towards the sky as they dashed into the Pillar Station. "Look, we made it! The pillar's standing!" She went to run into the slums when Cloud grabbed her arm, stopping her; she glared up at him, but a solemn look crossed his face.  
  
"Wait!" He raised a finger to his lips, then the sky. "You hear something…above us?" Tifa arched an eyebrow, but tilted her head so that she could listen. Aerith and Reilena followed suit, a perplexed look overcoming Aerith.  
  
"Is it…gunfire?" she said quietly. Tifa's eyes widened.  
  
"Then what the hell are we still doing here?" she shouted. Just then, the troupe heard a male's scream, and glanced up to see a man careening toward them. Cloud gazed down at the man with concern, recognizing him.  
  
"Wedge!!" he cried, kneeling beside him. "You alright?" Wedge shook his head, coughing, and Tifa gasped. Blood soaked through Wedge's shirt, his chest completely crimson. Aerith knelt on Wedge's opposite side and took his wrist in her hand; Reilena went to Tifa's side, watching over the trio worriedly.  
  
"…Cloud…" Wedge began, a weak smile on his face. "You remembered…my name." He coughed harshly; blood spattered on his hand, and Tifa dropped to her knees beside the dying man.  
  
"Where's Barret?" she asked hurriedly. Wedge turned to Tifa.  
  
"Barret's up top," he replied. He turned his glance up to Reilena - the younger Gainsborough wore a look of sorrow - and smiled sadly. "Help him….an' Cloud…" Wedge whispered, turning back to the young mercenary. "Sorry I wasn't any help." Another cough ripped through him, and Cloud stood up, determined.  
  
"I'm going up there!" he declared. "Aerith! You look after Wedge!" Aerith nodded firmly, and Tifa crouched beside Aerith.  
  
"Aerith, please do me this one favour," she murmured.   
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"The little girl that works with Rei an' me…Marlene…." Aerith smiled up at Tifa.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll put her somewhere safe." Tifa smiled sadly, and then stood up alongside Reilena; Aerith gestured for her sister to kneel, and she obeyed. "Rei…I'm going to bring Marlene to our house," she began. Reilena gasped, but Aerith shook her head. "Don't worry - the Turks have no reason to go there right now. You stay here and fight. Be careful," she whispered, patting her sister's cheek. Reilena nodded; before standing up, she reached into her satchel and handed Aerith a weapon. Aerith raised an eyebrow, and Reilena shook her head.  
  
"It's a Striking Stick; it extends to about seven feet or so. Found it on a monster's corpse in the Train Graveyard." Aerith began to argue, but her sister shook her head. "Take it. If you're with Marlene, take it; we don't know just how low Tseng will go now." Reilena watched Aerith closely; finally she nodded, and Reilena stood up as Tifa ran up to her.  
  
"I've managed to evacuate as much of Sector 7 as possible," she shouted. "Are you ready to go?" Reilena nodded, and Tifa gestured toward the pillar. "We have to follow Cloud - he's heading for Barret. We gotta hurry!" Without any argument, Reilena followed Tifa up the staircases of the pillar, and found Cloud kneeling beside Biggs; a piece of shrapnel was lodged in the man's abdomen, and he gripped it weakly.  
  
"Cloud…so you still don't care…what happens…to the…Planet?" he asked in a near-silent voice. Cloud hung his head, unsure of how to reply.  
  
"I…don't know, Biggs. I don't know what to think anymore," he replied. Biggs laughed.  
  
"Forget I said anything…you go…help…Barret," he gasped. Cloud nodded, rising to his feet as Biggs coughed out his last breath, and saw Tifa and Reilena running up the steps. He waited for them to catch up, and then started up the final flights of stairs. Two flights away from the top, Jessie was sprawled across the stairs; both shoulders had gunshot wounds, and a small ribbon of blood trickled out from the corner of her mouth. Tifa covered her mouth in shock, kneeling beside the fallen woman, while Cloud and Reilena knelt beside her quietly. Jessie glanced over at Cloud and smiled.  
  
"Cloud…I'm glad I could talk with you…one last time," she whispered. Cloud took her hand, patting it gently.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Is that so? Hah…cool as usual…ex-SOLDIER," she gasped. "Always…I liked that…in you…" she shuddered once, and was still. Cloud laid Jessie's hand on her stomach and stood; Tifa and Reilena rose as well, fury in Tifa's eyes. She spun on her heel and ran up the final staircase, Cloud and Reilena on her heels. On the very top of the pillar, Barret stood alone, shooting wiildly at the Shinra helicopter. He glanced over at the trio as they ran up beside him, his teeth clenched.  
  
"Tifa! Cloud! Rei! You came!" he hollered. "Be careful! They're attacking from the helicopter!" A quick glance upward told them that Barret spoke the truth, and Tifa turned to her friends, fists clenched.  
  
"We have to equip ourselves before they can attack in full force," she told them. A nod from both Cloud and Reilena told her that they understood; Cloud tossed a Mythril Bangle to Tifa, who strapped it onto her arm, and then handed one to Reilena before placing his own on his arm. Reilena drew a pair of Mythril Daggers from her satchel, Tifa slid her Metal Knuckles onto her hands, and Cloud pulled out the Hardedge. Prepared, the trio strode up to Barret's side, and Tifa narrowed her eyes at the helicopter. "Here they come," she growled. The helicopter hovered above the pillar, a rope ladder falling down. Seconds later, Reno leapt down, a calm smile on his face as he glanced over the team.  
  
"Reilena, it's been a while. How is your sister doing?" he asked calmly. Reilena clenched her teeth, gripping her daggers tightly; shaking his head, Reno pushed his ponytail off of his shoulder and gazed at Barret. "You do know you're too late," he continued, sauntering over to the computer module; he leaned against it casually, one hand hovering above a button. "Once I press this button…" before anyone could make a move, Reno dropped his hand, pressing the button. "That's it! Mission accomplished," he said, a victorious smirk on his face. Her face falling, Tifa ran over to the computer and read over the controls, smacking random buttons and switches.  
  
"We have to disarm it!" she cried, glancing over at the remaining trio. "Cloud! Barret! Rei! Please!" Reno waved a finger in the air, clicking his tongue.  
  
"Ah ah ah. I can't have you do that," he replied, holding his own staff over his shoulder. "No one gets in the way of the Turks…"  
  
"That's what you think, y'bastard!" Barret hollered, letting loose with his Gaitling Gun. Reno shook his head with a chuckle, ignoring the gunshot wound on his arm.  
  
"You're much too overconfident," he muttered, pointing his Electro-mag Rod at the burly AVALANCHE leader. Barret growled, rendered helpless by a strange gold pyramid encasing him. Cloud growled, sheathing his sword, and aimed his hands in Reno's direction; the red-headed Turk faltered, struck by Cloud's Fire magic, and gripped his arm. Reilena smirked, running in for her turn, and slashed at Reno with her daggers, cutting him in the side. Reno snarled, aiming his rod at Reilena; she stumbled, struck by Bolt, but regained her footing and stabbed at the Pyramid surrounding Barret, freeing him.  
  
"Thanks, Rei," Barret said, readying his gun. "And jus' in time…take this, Turk!" He fired the Big Shot at Reno - his first level Limit Break attack - and Reno fell to a knee, panting heavily. He held a hand in the air, wagging his finger again, and grabbed the rope ladder that had dropped from above.   
  
"It's time." He waved to the group as the helicopter took him up. Containing their anger, Cloud, Barret, and Reilena replaced their weapons and ran over to Tifa, who was still fussing with the computer controls. She flicked her hair from her eyes, slamming a fist down on the console.  
  
"Dammit!" She held her hair off her forehead, gesturing with her free hand. "I don't know how to stop this. Try it!" Cloud, Reilena, and Barret looked among each other; finally Cloud stepped up and glanced over the controls, pressing buttons in a pattern. After a few moments though, he shook his head in defeat.  
  
"…It's not a normal time bomb," he sighed, one hand on his hip. Reilena pushed forward and leaned on the console, reading over the buttons and switches.  
  
"Here, I'll give it a try," she muttered. Cloud stood aside, and joined Barret and Tifa in watching her try to figure it out. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind struck them all, knocking them against the control panel. Regaining their footing, the troupe glanced up to see the Shinra helicopter at their level, with the leader of the Turks in the doorway. Tseng brushed his shoulder-length dark hair from his eyes, laughing.  
  
"You'll have a hard time disarming that one," he called down. "It'll blow the second some stupid jerk touches it." Cloud and Barret glared at the Turk, while Tifa and Reilena clenched their fists at their sides. Tifa finally stepped forward, yelling to be heard.  
  
"Please, stop it!" she cried. Tseng shook his head, still laughing.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha…_only_ a Shinra executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System." Shaking in fury, Barret braced himself and opened fire.  
  
"Shut yet hole!" he hollered, firing madly. Tseng shook his head, spreading his arms wide to show that he was still unharmed, and Barret stopped.  
  
"I wouldn't try that again…you just might make me injure our special guest here," he said calmly, reaching behind himself. He threw Aerith forward, and she landed on her knees just beside Tseng. Reilena gasped, her eyes widened in fear.  
  
"Aerith!! Oh my God…_Aerith_!" she screamed, glaring up at Tseng. He nodded once, a calm smile on his face.  
  
"How nice of me that I let you see your sister one last time, isn't it? Too bad you weren't with her; it would've made things a hell of a lot easier on us," Tseng replied. "Alas, you should at least thank me; maybe she'll still be alright once I come for you." He brushed his hair back again, and Cloud stepped up alongside Reilena's left; on her right Tifa and Barret joined her.  
  
"What are you going to do with Aerith!?" Cloud yelled. Tseng glanced down with a thoughtful look, a hand underneath his chin.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I haven't decided. Our orders were to find and catch the last two remaining Ancients," he said with a shrug. "It's taken us a long time, but we've finally captured one, and I can finally report this to the President. He's going to want the other one too, so don't worry Reilena," he continued with a wink. "You'll be reunited with your sister soon enough." Reilena growled, unsheathing one of her daggers; suddenly Aerith sat up and cupped her hands around her mouth.  
  
"Tifa! Don't worry! She's alright!" she yelled. Before Tifa could reply, Tseng turned and slapped Aerith hard in the side of the head, knocking her back into the helicopter. Infuriated, Reilena dashed up to the edge of the pillar, brandishing her dagger angrily.  
  
"Goddamn you Tseng!" she screamed. Tseng glanced down at her, his head tilted curiously.  
  
"Hurry and get out, Rei! Don't worry about me!" Aerith hollered. Tseng rolled his eyes, backhanding Aerith again, and then looked out over the small group. "Ha ha ha…well, it should be starting right about now," he said; true to his word, a loud click was emitted from the computer, and he grinned. "Think you can escape in time?" Tseng saluted the group and stepped back, grabbing Aerith's hair, and yanked her back as the helicopter flew off. An exploision shook the pillar; the stand support was already being destroyed.   
  
"How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?" Cloud yelled. Barret glanced about and saw a wire attached to a building outside of Sector 7. He glanced back at the group, gesturing with his hand.  
  
"Yo! We can use this wire to get out!" he hollered. Looking back, he saw Reilena drop to a knee on the edge of the pillar. "Rei! C'mon, this place is going down!" Cloud and Tifa glanced back; silent, Tifa ran over to her friend, kneeling beside her.  
  
"Tseng took her. He took her, simple as that," Reilena muttered. "And we'd outrun the Turks for so long…" Tifa shook her head, taking Reilena's hand.  
  
"And we're going to get Aerith out of there, okay?" she replied. "Now let's go - we don't have much time." Silent, Reilena allowed Tifa to lead her to the wire pulley. Barret grabbed onto the pulley with his regular hand, followed by Tifa and Reilena. Cloud grabbed on last, and pushed them off of the plate, just as the platform they had been standing on shook with another explosion. The force of the blast shoved them faster down the wire, and they hit the ground rolling into the deserted playground. Coughing, Barret, Tifa, Cloud, and Reilena climbed to their feet, eyes wide as they saw the plate fall upon the slums of Sector 7. Debris then crashed down, concealing the former entrance to Sector 7.   
  
From above the carnage, within his helicopter, President Shinra turned up Vivaldi's _Four Seasons_ and smiled to himself.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Marlene! MARLENE!!! MAR-LE-NE!! Biggs! Wedge!! Jessie!!" Barret screamed, pounding on the rubble. Though his teeth were clenched in absolute fury, tears streamed down his face. Nonetheless, he continued his assault. "Dammit! Godammit!! _DAMMIT ALL TO HELL_!!!! What the hell's it all for!? _ARGHHHH_!!!"  
  
Just behind him, Cloud, Tifa, and Reilena rose to their feet, brushing the dust and dirt from themselves. "Hey, Barret!" he called. Tifa took up the call as well.  
  
"Barret!" Instead, Barret screamed again, ignoring his comrades. Cloud sighed to himself.  
  
"Hey!" Tifa wiped at her own eyes, steeling herself from letting her sobs be heard in her voice.  
  
"Barret, stop…please stop, Barret," she murmured. Instead of listening, Barret aimed his Gaitling Gun arm at the destruction and fired. Cloud, Tifa, and Reilena remained silent, watching Barret unleash his fury. After a few minutes, Barret finally fell to his knees, pounding the ground with both arms.   
  
"God damn…Marlene…" he sobbed, not caring if anyone saw. Tifa, Cloud, and Reilena looked among each other in silence, and Reilena walked up to the sobbing man quietly. She knelt beside him, laying a hand on his shoulder, and spoke in a low voice.  
  
"Barret?" No response. "Marlene is…I think Marlene is safe," she said. Slowly, Barret glanced up at her, wiping at his eyes with his normal hand.  
  
"….Huh?" Reilena nodded as Tifa and Cloud came up behind her.  
  
"Right before they took Aerith, she said 'Don't worry, she's all right,'" Tifa continued. "She was probably talking about Marlene."  
  
"R, really?" he asked. Reilena nodded calmly; Tifa hung her head.  
  
"But…"  
  
"Biggs…Wedge…Jessie…" Barret murmured.  
  
"All three of them were in the pillar," Cloud said in a low voice. Barret snorted, still wiping his eyes as he rose to his feet. Reilena stood up as well, and stayed beside Tifa while Barret glared at Cloud.  
  
"Think I don't know that?" he retorted; a moment later, he swung a hand in the air. "But…we, all of us fought together. I don't wanna think of them as dead!"  
  
"…and the other people in Sector 7," Tifa whispered; she leaned her head on Reilena's shoulder, crying silently. Barret growled again, clenching his fist, and Cloud merely stood off to the side, watching the trio silently.  
  
"This is all fucked up!" Barret shouted. "They destroyed an entire village, just to get to us! They killed so many people…"  
  
"…are you saying it's our fault?" Tifa whispered; Barret turned back just as she straightened up, wiping at her eyes. "Because AVALANCHE was here? Innocent people lost their lives because of us?" Reilena laid an arm around her friend's shoulder, comforting her even as she felt her own eyes well up, and Barret shook his head violently.  
  
"No, Tifa! That ain't it! Hell no!! It ain't us! It's the damn Shinra!" he bellowed. "It's never been nobody _but_ the Shinra! They're evil and destroyin' our planet just to…build their power, and line their own damn pockets with gold! If we don't get rid of them, they're gonna kill this planet!" He walked up to the two women and spoke in a low, determined voice. "Our fight ain't never gonna be over until we get rid of them." He paused, glanced between Reilena and Tifa; Tifa shook her head after a moment.  
  
"…I don't know."  
  
"What don't you know?" Barret asked in shock. "You don't believe me?"  
  
"It's not that," Tifa continued, running a hand through her hair. "I'm not sure about…me. My feelings." Barret shrugged, glancing at Reilena.  
  
"What about you?" Reilena sighed.  
  
"Aerith and I have been mixed up with Shinra and the Turks ever since I could remember…they've pursued us all our lives; now that they have Aerith, they'll be coming after me," she whispered. "I'm with you, Barret. We have to stop them. I _have_ to get my sister back." Barret nodded and whirled to face Cloud.  
  
"An' what about you?" he snapped. "What's your opinion on this?" Silent, Cloud shrugged, turned on his heel, and walked off. Eyes widened, Barret turned to the girls. "Where's he think he's goin'?" Reilena suddenly shot up, and she ran after Cloud, walking beside him. Perplexed, Barret threw his arms up in the air. "Now what?" Tifa's head shot up, and she held a hand in the air.  
  
"Oh! Aerith!" she answered, gesturing for him to follow her; Barret obliged, walking alongside Tifa as they followed Cloud and Reilena.  
  
"Oh yeah, that girl. What's up with her anyway?" Barret asked. Tifa sighed, brushing her hair from her eyes.  
  
"To be honest…I don't really know. She's Reilena's older sister, and that's about all I _do_ know about her," she said. "But, she's the one I left Marlene with." Barret's brow furrowed, and he slammed his palm onto his gun arm.  
  
"Damn! Marlene!!" He turned to Tifa with a solemn glance. "Tifa, there's no turnin' back now," he said with a surprising calm. Tifa nodded.  
  
"I know. That's why I'm following Cloud and Rei. We have to do something about the Shinra." With that said, she ran to catch up with the couple ahead of them. Barret followed close behind, and came up in front of Cloud and Reilena, who had been silent.  
  
"Cloud! Take me to Marlene!" Cloud remained silent; Reilena gazed up at Barret.  
  
"Then follow us. We're going back to my house," she replied solemnly. Barret bowed his head, and walked alongside her; Tifa walked along Cloud's side, and glanced at him curiously.  
  
"So you're going to help Aerith?" she asked. Cloud nodded.  
  
"Yeah…but before that, there's something I want to know," he muttered. Both Reilena and Tifa gazed at him.  
  
"What's that?" Tifa asked. Cloud took a deep breath.  
  
"…It's about the Ancients," he said. Reilena's eyes widened, and she began to say something, but Cloud couldn't hear her; there was another voice speaking to him. One inside his mind…_In my veins courses the blood of the Ancients…I am one of the rightful heirs to this planet! Sephiroth…?_ Suddenly, Cloud fell to his knees, clutching his head in his hands; Barret stopped, realizing the rest of the group had stopped, and turned just in time to see Reilena kneel before Cloud, her hands on his shoulders. Tifa was on his side, her arm around him. Worried, Reilena ducked her head, trying to look into Cloud's eyes.  
  
"Cloud…Cloud talk to me…are you okay?" she asked.  
  
"Are you all right?" Tifa echoed, rubbing his back. Barret strode up to the trio, kneeling as well.  
  
"Cloud, c'mon…pull it together man!" he said. Finally, Cloud stood up, shaking his head.   
  
"I'm okay. Let's keep going," he mumbled. Silence; finally Barret started walking again, followed by Reilena who led the way, with Cloud and Tifa taking up the rear.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
A creak; Elmyra wiped at her eyes quickly as she walked out of the kitchen. The front door opened, and Elmyra felt her eyes well up again when she saw Reilena walk in. She glanced up at Elmyra and immediately walked over to her mother; Elmyra opened her arms and held Reilena close as she cried quietly. Glancing over her daughter's shoulder, Elmyra spied the rest of the group walking in, and smiled weakly to Cloud.  
  
"Cloud…is it?" she said in a calm voice. Barret and Tifa glanced up, and Cloud nodded. Elmyra gestured toward Reilena. "It's about Aerith, isn't it?" Again, Cloud nodded; Tifa and Barret dropped their eyes to the ground.   
  
"The Shinra have her now," he muttered. "I'm sorry." Elmyra closed her eyes, still holding Reilena close.  
  
"I know. They took her from here." Shocked, Reilena pulled back from Elmyra, wiping at her eyes.  
  
"They…were _here_?" she asked in a low voice. "And you let them take her. How _could_ you?" Reilena backed toward Cloud, Tifa, and Barret. Elmyra bowed her head.  
  
"Reilena, it's what Aerith wanted…you have to understand me," she pleaded. "They were asking, _demanding_ to know where you were as well, but Aerith refused to tell them." Reilena sank into a chair, holding her hair out of her eyes; Tifa and Cloud followed suit, sitting down on either side of her, leaving Barret and Elmyra standing. Cloud glanced over at the distressed Reilena, and back at Elmyra.  
  
"Why is Shinra after your daughters?" he asked. Elmyra gazed down at him, but Reilena spoke first.  
  
"Aerith and I are Ancients. The sole survivors of an otherwise extinct race," she said, running a hand through her sanguine hair. Barret stared at Reilena in confusion.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked, walking over to the table. Elmyra sighed.  
  
"Aerith and Reilena are the last of the Ancients."  
  
"But aren't you their mother?" Barret asked, clearly perplexed. Closing her eyes, Elmyra wiped her hands on her apron, and then cleared her throat.  
  
"Not their _real_ mother," she said. Reilena nodded.  
  
"Adopted." She gestured toward a chair, and Elmyra sat down. "Might as well tell them, Mom." Elmyra took a deep breath, folding her hands on the table, and glanced at the group; Cloud and Tifa sat on either side of Reilena, while Barret stood behind them, arms folded.  
  
"It must have been about fifteen years ago…during the way," Elmyra began. "My husband was sent to the front; some far away place called Watari." Silent, Elmyra polished her eyeglasses and set them on her forehead instead of wearing them properly. "One day, I went to the station because I had received a letter stating that he was coming home on leave. My husband never came back, and I wondered, 'did something happen to him?' But I went to the station every day."  
  
"Then one day, she saw Aerith and me," Reilena interjected. Elmyra nodded, smiling for a moment, then grew serious again.  
  
"You used to see this thing a lot during the way; refugees coming to Midgar to hide. One day, I went to the station, and there was a woman lying on the steps of the station. She had just come from the front, and had two little girls with her. That poor woman died on those steps; her last words were… 'Please take my daughters somewhere safe.'"  
  
Elmyra paused, wiping a tear from her eye. "My husband never came back, I had no child, and I was very lonely. So I decided to take them home with me." She glanced up at Reilena with a smile. "Aerith and I became close very quickly, and Reilena was a bit more work, but we all got along. Boy, did those girls love to talk!" she continued with a laugh. "They would talk to me about everything! They told me that they'd escaped from some research laboratory somewhere, and that their mother had already returned to the planet, so she wasn't lonely…and many other things." She glanced up and saw Barret's brow furrow in question.  
  
"Returned to the planet?"  
  
"Mom didn't know what we were talking about," Reilena explained. "She asked if it was a star in the sky that we'd meant to say."  
  
"But no, you said it was this planet," Elmyra continued. "Aerith and Reilena were mysterious children in several ways. I remember one instance in which they told me not to cry, that someone dear to me had died, that their spirit was coming to see me but they'd already returned to the planet. Now at first I didn't believe the girls…but wouldn't you know it, several days later I received a notice telling me that my husband was dead, killed in battle…and that's how it was. Mind you, a lot has happened, but we were all happy. Until one day…"  
  
"Tseng came for a visit when Aerith and I were still young teenagers," Reilena said, running a hand thorugh her hair again. "He told Mom to return us, said they'd been searching for us for a long time. Aerith and I refused to go with him, of course, and Tseng told us, 'Girls, you are very special children. You are both of special blood.'"  
  
"And of course I heard it. That my daughters were Ancients," Elmyra added. Reilena bowed her head.  
  
"He tried convincing Mom to force us to go with him. Explained to her how 'the Ancients will lead us to a world of happiness, that Aerith and Reilena will be able to bring happiness to the slums,' and that was why Shinra wanted our cooperation. We denied it over and over, and that was when Tseng came right out ans asked us, 'Surely you girls hear voices sometimes when you're all alone?"  
  
"The girls denied it again and ran to their rooms, and I sent Tseng on his way," Elmyra said. "But I knew. I knew of their mysterious powers…you girls try so hard to hide it though, so I acted as if I never noticed." Elmyra glanced over at Reilena - she'd dropped her eyes to the table, and Tifa slung an arm around her shoulders - and closed her eyes with a sigh. Cloud sat back in his chair, raking his hands through his spiky mane as he chanced a glance over at Reilena.  
  
"It's amazing how you and Aerith have avoided the Shinra all these years," he murmured. Reilena nodded; Elmyra bowed her head.  
  
"The Shinra need them both, so I would guess that they wouldn't harm Aerith." Tifa finally sighed, glanced up at Elmyra while still comforting Reilena.  
  
"But why now…" she began. Elmyra gave a slight shrug.  
  
"She brought a little girl here with her. On the way here, Tseng found them; Aerith probably couldn't get away fast enough, and decided to go to the Shinra in exchange for the girl's safety."  
  
"That must be Marlene," Cloud began; Barret's head shot up, his gaze apologetic.  
  
"Marlene?! Aerith was caught because of Marlene?" he asked weakly. Not waiting for an answer, Barret strode over to Elmyra and took one of her hands in his. "I'm sorry. Marlene is my daughter." He then glanced over to Reilena, the same look on his face. "I'm…really…sorry."  
  
"_You're_ her father?" Elmyra asked; when Barret nodded, Elmyra rose to her feet, hands on her hips. "How in the world could you leave a child alone?!" Barret took a deep breath, massaging his forehead with his normal hand.  
  
"Please don't start with that," he began, circling the table slowly. "I think about it all the time. What would happen if…" he paused with a slight shrug. "But you gotta understand somethin' - I don't got an answer. I wanna be with Marlene…but I gotta keep fightin'! But, I'm worried about Marlene. I really just wanna be with her…always." Barret walked back to Elmyra and stopped, scratching the back of his head. "See? I'm goin' in circles now." He watched Elmyra closely, and she nodded after glancing over at Reilena.  
  
"I think I understand what you're saying," she conceded, standing up and nodding toward the stairs. "She's upstairs in Aerith's room sleeping - it's the room second from the left. Why don't you go and see her."  
  
"Thank you." Immediately, Barret started up the stairs, leaving Cloud, Tifa, Reilena, and Elmyra in the main room. Silent, the remaining members of the group glanced among each other, listening to Barret's heavy footsteps as he dashed up the stairs. After a moment, Cloud stood up, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.  
  
"I'm going to check on Barret," he said, almost apologetic. Elmya nodded, and Tifa waved him on, still comforting Reilena. Turning on his heel, Cloud made his way upstairs and walked to the one room with an open door. Inside, Barret knelt on the ground, holding Marlene tightly. Cloud wasn't about to get involved in what looked to be a family affair, and leaned against the doorframe.  
  
"I'm so glad…I'm so glad you're alright," Barret murmured. Marlene sniffled, pulling back a bit, and wiped her father's cheek.  
  
"Daddy, don't cry," she replied in a small voice. She touched Barret's chin and raised an eyebrow, rubbing her hand along it. "Your whiskers hurt!" Marlene announced; Barret ruffled her hair, chuckling, and glanced back toward the door, having spied Cloud standing there.  
  
"Cloud, you gonna go help Aerith, right?" he asked, just as Marlene turned, grinning up at Cloud. Cloud nodded, and Barret rose to his feet, still looking down at Marlene. "She's done so much for me…" he nodded to himself and looked back up at Cloud in determination. "If it's the Shinra you're dealin' with, I can't just sit here! I'm comin' too!" With that, Barret started toward the door, and Cloud turned to head down the stairs; just before either of them could leave, Marlene ran out and tugged on Cloud's pant leg. Eyebrow raised, he glanced down at the little girl, and Barret knelt beside her.  
  
"Marlene, Daddy and Cloud have to leave," he began. Marlene nodded in understanding, but pointed up at Cloud.  
  
"I just wanna tell Cloud something!" she said. "It's really quick…I pwomise." Laughing under his breath, Barret patted her shoulder and nodded; Marlene turned to Cloud, a wide smile on her face and hands behind her back.  
  
"Guess what, guess what! Aerith was asking me lots of questions," Marlene started excitedly. "Like what kind of person Cloud is!" She waved for Cloud to lean closer; obliging, Cloud dropped to a knee and Marlene whispered, "I bet she likes you, Cloud!" Cloud shot her a surprised look, and she nodded. "But don't worry…I won't tell Tifa," she finished. Cloud nodded, rising to his feet, and walked downstairs, Barret just behind him.  
  
Tifa and Reilena stood at the foot of the stairs, waiting patiently; just as the men stepped off the final stair, however, Reilena shot past. Surprised, Barret and Cloud turned back to Tifa, who merely arched an eyebrow.  
  
"She's going to grab something important from her room," she said, answering their silent question. "You _are_ going after Aerith, right?" she asked. Both Barret and Cloud nodded, and Tifa gestured for them to move; Reilena came back downstairs and stood beside Tifa, nodding once to her friend. "Good, 'cause we're gong with you."  
  
"We're going to Shinra Headquarters," Cloud stated. "You gotta be prepared for the worst…"  
  
"Which I already know," Tifa replied. "Right now, I have to push myself to the limit. If I stay here, I'll go insane. Besides, I promised Rei I'd help in rescuing Aerith." Barret and Cloud looked at the younger Gainsborough - she seemed more concerned with something in her hands - just as Elmyra came out of her kitchen. Barret glanced over, his eyes widening, and edged past his comrades.  
  
"Ms. Elmyra!" he called; Elmyra paused, waiting for Barret to walk up to her. He gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry, but can you take care of Marlene a bit longer?" Elmyra smiled kindly.  
  
"The girls and I thought that you would ask me that," she replied. "Marlene is a dear, and I will be quite lonely without my girls here; yes, I don't mind taking care of her."  
  
"Thank you," Barret said, smiling gratefully, and turned back to the group; they had already reconvened at the front door, and were waiting for Barret. Just before they could leave, however, Barret paused, turning back to Elmyra. "This place is dangerous to stay in now…you'd be better off goin' somewhere else." Elmyra bowed her head in agreement.  
  
"Then make me a promise," she replied, looking straight into the AVALANCHE leader's dark eyes. "Promise me that you'll come back for her. Don't get yourself killed." She turned her gaze to Cloud, Tifa, and Reilena. "That goes for the rest of you, especially Reilena. Don't go get yourself killed." Cloud and Tifa nodded silently; Reilena walked over to her mother and hugged her tightly, pulling back after a moment with a determined smile.  
  
"Don't cry, Mom. Aerith is safe; she and I will be okay," she whispered. Elmyra brushed her tears away with a small laugh.  
  
"You sound just the same as the last time you told me not to cry." Elmyra kissed her daughter's cheek, then set her hands on Reilena's shoulders. "Go get your sister." Reilena smiled as she stepped back, and turned to Cloud, Barret, and Tifa with a nod. The group waved to Elmyra one last time and walked outside; Tifa pulled the door shut with a sigh, and turned to her comrades.  
  
"Well, how _do_ we get to the Shinra building?" she asked. Barret rubbed his chin in thought.  
  
"There ain't no train that goes up there anymore…" he trailed off, glancing at Cloud. The blonde man shrugged helplessly, turning to Reilena. She began to shrug as well, but then stopped, pointing toward the slums.  
  
"Wall Market! Let's head there!" she said, jogging off. The two men shot a strange look at her retreating form, and then turned to Tifa, who snapped her fingers.  
  
"Good idea; we might be able to find something there," she agreed, and started off after Reilena. Barret and Cloud stared at each other, still confused, but turned and followed them through Sector 6.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Aerith, Cloud, and co./ShinRa, Midgar are all copyright of Square Enix, Co. Reilena Gainsborough is copyright of Vinja Ryou.

**A/N:** I won't be on here until Sunday, 27 June, but when I return, Chapter 6 will be put up ASAP, with some very unusual twists....tee hee hee!

* * *

"I knew I remembered that way from something," Reilena said, helping Cloud up the last of the wire rope. "Aerith used to take a way around here to get to Mom's flower shop."   
  
"Golden shiny wire of hope - what did I tell yas?" Barret chuckled, making sure his gun-arm wasn't harmed from the climb. Beside him, Tifa laughed to herself. Cloud brushed the dust off his pants, nodding to Reilena in silent thanks, and the group turned. Shinra Headquarters loomed before them, the shiny silver building seeming to be empty. Shaking his head, Barret elbowed Cloud good-naturedly. "Hey, you oughta know this building well." Cloud shook his head.  
  
"…not really; now that I think about it," he began, running a hand through his spiky hair, "this's the first time I've ever been to the Headquarters." Reilena arched an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"But didn't you tell me and Aerith before that you were a SOLDIER?" she asked. Cloud nodded, but Barret interrupted him, still gazing up at the building.  
  
"I heard about this place before," he stated. "Every floor above the 60th is special, and not easy to get to even for employees…must be where they took Aerith." He paused for a moment, surveying the outside, and nodded. "The security's pretty light now. Awright, let's go!!" Tifa shook her head, arms folded as she stood by Cloud.  
  
"Wait a second…you're not thinking of just going right through the main entrance, are you?" she asked, shocked. Barret rolled his eyes, throwing his arms in the air.  
  
"Well, what _else_ does it look like!?" he muttered in a low tone. "I'm gonna kick some Shinra butt, and…" he stopped when he saw the rest of the group shaking their heads and sighed.  
  
"That's not going to work," Tifa replied, glancing through the glass doors; a lone secretary sat behind a desk, typing at a computer, while three or four people in expensive business suits sat at a plush couch reading newspapers. Tifa gestured toward the people. "We've got to find another way…"  
  
"Ain't gonna be no other way!" Barret growled. "If we keep wastin' time like this, Aerith'll…" he trailed off, glancing at Reilena; Tifa rolled her eyes impatiently.  
  
"I know that! Rei knows that! Everyone knows that!" she retorted. "But if we get caught…" she stopped, watching as Reilena walked over to Cloud and tapped his shoulder. He glanced at her silently, and she sighed.  
  
"Cloud, what do you think we should do?" she asked quietly. Cloud raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Barret and Tifa - they wore the same confused look - and looked back at Reilena. She gave him an innocent shrug. "We don't have a lot of time to waste, like Barret said, and I want to get to Aerith. She's…not doing well. I can sense it." Cloud inhaled deeply, turning his gaze to the building.  
  
"Let's sneak in quietly." Tifa smiled over at Barret victoriously.  
  
"_See_? Let's be careful and find a different route! Like the stairway over there," she said, pointing to their left. A door with the sign "Staircase Entry" stood under a small light, and Tifa glanced around the group for disagreements. No one said a word, and she led the way to the door, holding it open for the rest of her comrades before getting in herself. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"If I _ever_…see another stair again," Barret huffed, hands on his knees, "it will be too soon." Nearby, Cloud, Tifa, and Reilena echoed his sentiments. The stairwell Tifa had found ended up taking nine flights of stairs to reach the 58th floor, and they were all exhausted.   
  
"But see? Now we haven't been caught by security," Tifa argued, standing up with her hands behind her head. Reilena and Cloud rolled their eyes, and Cloud stood up, pointing across the empty floor.   
  
"Let's take that elevator to the 59th then," he said. No one disagreed, and the group piled into the elevator car; Cloud pressed the button marked 59. Tifa, Barret, and Reilena fell silent; Cloud let out a low sigh, leaning against the outside wall. Curious, Tifa glanced over at her childhood friend.  
  
"…what's wrong, Cloud?" He sighed again.  
  
"I didn't want to start a ruckus till we saved Aerith," he said quietly. "I should've known that was impossible though; there's no telling what we'll face now." Nearby, Barret chuckled, and Cloud glanced over at him. "What is it? You're givin' me the willies." He shook his head.  
  
"So there _are_ times when even you fight for people," Barret said, scratching his neck. "I am impressed." Cloud rolled his eyes.  
  
"Who cares if you're impressed?" he retorted. Barret shrugged, the smile disappearing, and looked up at the mercenary solemnly.  
  
"Y'know, I ain't so good at sayin' this, but…" he clapped a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Sorry…for lotsa things." Cloud simply looked down at Barret's hand on his shoulder, and shrugged; before he could reply, the elevator trembled, and the group stumbled, trying to regain their footing. "Wh, what the!?"  
  
"Look!" Tifa and Reilena pointed outside; the elevator was shaking on its rails, seemingly being controlled by someone else. Barret shook his head, adjusting his gun-arm.  
  
"DA-MN! I don't care where Cloud! Just stop it!" he yelled. Cloud turned and hit the 'door open' button, depositing them on the 59th floor. Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Reilena stumbled out of the elevator and looked up into the eyes of three Shinra guards. The middle guard regripped his weapon, giving commands to his comrades.  
  
"Destroy the intruders!" he stated. The soldiers on either side nodded curtly, and swung their blades. Cloud narrowed his eyes, unsheathing his Hardedge blade; Tifa tightened her gloves while Reilena took out her daggers, and Barret aimed his gun at the guards.  
  
"On three, we blast through 'em," Barret muttered; the trio nodded. "One…two…three!" Cloud and Reilena attacked the leftmost soldier, Barret fired at the leader in the middle, and Tifa knocked out the soldier on the right, grabbing his Keycard 60 before he slumped to the ground. She ran over to the elevator, slinging the card through the slot, and waved the group over to the elevator. Barret ran in first, followed by Reilena, and Cloud brought up the rear, shooing in Tifa before he jumped in, pressing the button for the next floor.  
  
"There's your ruckus, Cloud," Barret teased; Cloud didn't reply, his gaze distant, and Barret looked behind himself. Tifa and Reilena stood in the back of the elevator, polishing Reilena's daggers silently. The elevator halted on the 60th floor, and Cloud edged out first, looking both ways before gesturing for the others to follow. They crept quickly into a small room to catch their breath, and again Cloud glanced out across the hall to the opposite stairwell. Just beside them, guards patrolled the hallways; statues prevented them from seeing the intruders though, and Cloud pulled back into the room. Barret, Tifa, and Reilena watched him closely. "Lookit that, all them guards is runnin' around," Barret suddenly said. Cloud nodded silently. "Cloud, you go on ahead, and signal us when it's safe to come." Without a word, Cloud ran out, hiding behind a statue; eventually he made his way to the stairwell, and waved the trio on; a few minutes later, they regrouped at the stairwell, Barret grinning as he set his gun-arm. "Ok! We gonna rock!"  
  
"Remember, we're here to save Aerith," Reilena said quietly.  
  
"Hell, I know that!" Barret replied; he glanced over and swallowed guiltily when he saw Reilena's forlorn expression. "Sorry. Here, you and Cloud lead the way to the 66th floor, aight?" Reilena nodded silently, pushing the door open; Cloud came up alongside her, and they ran up an additional six flights of stairs, finally stopping at a door that had the number 66 spraypainted in black.   
  
"Here goes nothing," Tifa whispered, pushing the door open. To their surprise however, no one jumped out, and both Tifa and Cloud walked out ahead, waving Barret and Reilena on.   
  
"It looks like this is a recreation area for the Shinra employees," Cloud observed. Just a few feet ahead, music blasted out of an open door; Reilena walked up and peeked in, nodding after a moment.  
  
"This's a workout room, and over there is the locker room, I'm guessing…" she was cut off by Tifa grabbing her arm suddenly. The brunette woman pulled her into a washroom, where Cloud and Barret were hiding as well. Once the door swung shut, Tifa glanced apologetically at her friend.  
  
"Sorry about that Rei - Cloud said he'd seen a guard out there," she muttered. Reilena nodded, and glanced over at a stall; Cloud was standing on the toilet, inspecting a grating above it. He pulled the grating down and looked over at the troupe, motioning them over.  
  
"C'mon. I can hear voices in here - I think this goes above a meeting room," Cloud said. Barret nodded in approval.  
  
"Then what are we waitin' for? Let's move!" he said, pushing Tifa ahead. Tifa shook her head.  
  
"Let Rei go first - this is her sister's rescue mission after all," she said. Reilena gazed at her, wide-eyed, and Tifa nodded. "Go ahead." Shrugging, Reilena walked up to Cloud and stepped up on the toilet seat; Cloud boosted her up into the duct, and she inched up, then stuck her head in the opening.  
  
"Who's next?" she called. Cloud glanced to the right; seconds later, Tifa leapt up, crawling to the opposite side, and both girls helped Barret into the duct. Cloud jumped up last, and led the way down the duct. He stopped about forty feet down the duct and held a hand up for silence, motioning toward a grating; one glance down showed an expensive table surrounded by Shinra's most important workers.   
  
"Geez! That's a lotta suits!" he muttered. He glanced up to see Tifa shushing him, and shrugged an apology; falling silent, the troupe gazed down at the executive room, watching the meeting...  
  
"We have the damage estimates for Sector 7, sir," Reeve began, handing the President a sheaf of papers. President Shinra glanced over them, still listening to Reeve. "Considering those factories we already set up and all the investments, the damage's estimated cost to rebuild Sector 7 is…"  
  
"We're not rebuilding," President Shinra replied casually, reading over the charts. Reeve's eyes widened.  
  
"What?" Sighing, President Shinra glanced up at Reeve over his reading glasses, a cool expression on his face.  
  
"I _said_ we're not rebuilding," he repeated, setting down the files, and folded his hands on the table. "We're leaving Sector 7 as it is. And restarting the Neo-Midgar plan." Silence; finally, Reeve cleared his throat.  
  
"…then the Ancients?" President Shinra nodded.  
  
"The Promised Land will soon be ours; we have word that the second Ancient is nearby." He pulled out a sheet of paper from his files and read over it before continuing. "I want you to raise the Mako rates 15% in every area." On his left, Palmer grinned; the portly tan-suited man seemed ready to applaud already.  
  
"Rate hike! Rate hike! Tra la la!" he sang happily, turning to the President. "And please include our Space Program in the budget!" President Shinra shook his head, and Palmer's face fell.  
  
"Reeve and Scarlet will divide the extra income from the rate increase," he replied. Palmer slumped back in his chair, defeated.  
  
"Oh, man!" he grumbled. Across from him, Reeve spoke up yet again, a hand resting on his forehead.  
  
"Sir. If you raise the rates, the people will lose confidence…" he stopped when President Shinra chuckled, and narrowed his gaze.  
  
"It'll be alright. The ignorant citizens won't lose confidence," he explained. "They'll trust Shinra even more."  
  
"Ha ha ha!" Heidegger's laugh cut through the solemn atmosphere. "After all," he declared, "_we're_ the ones who saved Sector 7 from AVALANCHE!"  
  
"That dirty bastard," Barret growled from within the duct. Again, Tifa shushed him. Below, President Shinra stood up from his place at the head of the table and nodded to a person who had just entered the room...  
  
"Hojo. How's the girl?" he asked. A low chuckle; Hojo walked into the room, his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a simple white lab coat, his glasses perched on his nose, and dark brown-black hair pulled back in a queue. In the air duct, Reilena gasped upon seeing Hojo - true to her visions, he was the same one who had…and now…Reilena held her head in her hands, her brow furrowed. Beside her, Tifa threw an arm around her, holding Reilena close while whispering for her to be as quiet as she could, and glanced up to see both Barret and Cloud shooting her confused glances.  
  
"Explain later," Tifa whispered, motioning toward the grating. Nodding, they turned back to the meeting as Tifa tried to comfort Reilena. In the executive room, Hojo removed his glasses, polishing them on his coat as he replied.  
  
"As a speciment, she is inferior to her mother, which is why it is imperitave that we catch her sister as soon as possible," he began, setting his glasses back on his nose. "I'm still in the process of comparing her to her mother Ifalna, but for now the difference is 18%"  
  
"18%," President Shinra murmured, rubbing his beard in thought. "How long will the research take?" Hojo chuckled.  
  
"Probably 120 years…but that can be reduced by a few decades with the capture of the sister. Nonetheless, it's probably impossible to finish in _our_ lifetime, or in the lifetime of the specimen too, for that matter…"  
  
"Stop…calling…them…_specimens_," Reilena whispered. "They're humans, damn you." Tifa ran a hand through her friend's hair, her fear growing with each second; Reilena had started trembling, and was murmuring under her breath.  
  
"…That's why we're thinking of breeding her," Hojo continued. "Then we could create one that would withstand our research for a long time."   
  
"I see," Shinra murmured; the rest of the associates remained silent. He waved a hand in the air, glancing up at the scientist again. "What about the Promised Land? Won't it hinder our plans?" Hojo shrugged with a sigh.  
  
"That's what I need to plan," he said. "The mother is strong…and yet has her weaknesses. With both Ancients here, I would be able to determine if it is at all possible for one to breed and the other to remain alive for the duration of the testing, which is why I must insist yet again that we retrieve the younger one as soon as possible." Again President Shinra nodded in thought, and glanced up at the rest of his employees, standing up from his seat.  
  
"Thank you, Hojo," he said, and turned back to the rest of the people. "This concludes our meeting." With simulatenous nods, the employees rose, leaving the room quickly. Scarlet hesitated a moment, her brow furrowed in thought.  
  
"Something stinks…" with a shrug, Scarlet straightened her suit coat and left the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"They were talking about Aerith…right?" Cloud asked, sure that the executive room below them was empty. Barret shrugged, while Tifa nodded; Reilena sat up, shaking her head drowsily, and Tifa glanced down at her.  
  
"Rei, you okay?" she asked quietly. Reilena nodded, and glanced up at the two men.  
  
"What happened?" Cloud asked. Reilena shook her head.  
  
"I'll explain it all later," she said, crawling past him. "Right now, I want to follow Hojo." Cloud watched her climb out of the duct and turned to Barret and Tifa; they both shrugged, and Cloud turned, following Reilena back into the bathroom. Once they'd all climbed out of the air duct, Barret replaced the grating above the toilet and turned to the team.  
  
"So…now what?" he asked. Tifa shrugged, glancing over at Reilena.  
  
"I say we do what Reilena said and follow Hojo…he seemed to know a lot about Aerith."  
  
"I agree. Let's head for the elevator," Cloud decided. He walked out of the bathroom first, followed by Tifa, Barret, and Reilena; they managed to get into the elevator easily, due to the light security on the recreation floor, and let out a collective sigh of relief once the elevator doors shut behind them. Cloud leaned against the outside wall, glancing at Reilena; the younger Gainsborough was gazing at her feet, a forlorn look in her eyes. Nearby, Barret coughed.  
  
"I remembered him. That Hojo guy," he said, toying with his gun-arm. "He's in charge of the Shinra's Science Department." He peered over his shoulder at Cloud, an eyebrow arched. "Cloud, don't know him?" Cloud shook his head.  
  
"This is the first time I've actually ever seen him," he said, his voice taking on a faraway tone. "So…that's what he looks like…"  
  
"He came into the Seventh Heaven the night you guys raided Mako Reactor One," Reilena whispered. Tifa nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yeah. Rei here had to leave when she saw him, and I had my cook take care of it…" suddenly the elevator stopped, and the goup walked out of the elevator, glancing around. The 67th floor appeared to be the science floor - the huge room to their left looked to be a laboratory of sorts, and Reilena immediately dashed over, hiding behind a large crate. She looked back at the rest of the group, waving them over; seconds later, Cloud and Reilena were behind the crate, Barret hid behind a piece of machinery of sorts, and Tifa crouched behind a large steel canister. In front of them, a man with a Shinra uniform on gestured toward a strange orange-red tank.  
  
"So is this today's speciment?" he asked. Hojo suddenly walked out, inches in front of Cloud and Reilena; instinctively, Cloud laid a hand on Reilena's shoulder, unfazed by her tension.  
  
"Yes," he replied, chuckling under his breath as he walked past the tank. "We're starting right away. Raise it to the upper level." Saluting, the Shinra employee pulled a lever; to Cloud, Tifa, Reilena, and Barret's shock, a separate cage was lifted to the upper floor, the orange-red tank staying put. Hojo glanced up at the cage as it ascended, a smile on his face. "My precious specimen…" he murmured, walking over to the small elevator across the room. Only after they were sure Hojo was gone did the group come out of hiding. Tifa glanced over at the area where the cage used to be, clearly confused.  
  
"Precious specimen…" she muttered. "Is it going to be used for a biological experiment?" She was met with equally confused shrugs from the remaining three, and they glanced around the laboratory. Cloud walked over to the orange-red tank, narrowing his eyes as he tried to peer into the tank. A seemingly headless creature floated in what looked to be some sort of liquid within the tank.  
  
"Jenova…" Suddenly his eyes widened, and he fell to his knees, clutching his head. Tifa, Barret, and Reilena spun on their heels; Reilena was the first to his side, and knelt beside him, an arm on his back. Cloud continued to shake his head, holding it tightly. "Jenova…Sephiroth's…so…they've brought it here," he murmured in a near silent voice. Reilena's eyes widened, and she grabbed Cloud's hands, forcing him to look up at her; his eyes were glazed over, and she tapped at his cheek to try and get him to focus.  
  
"Sephiroth…what do you know about him?" Reilena whispered. Cloud blinked quickly, almost as if he was about to cry; Reilena kept her gaze on him, even as Tifa and Barret came to their side.   
  
"Cloud, be strong!" Tifa cried. She turned to Reilena, worried. "What is it?" Reilena shook her head; before she could try to explain, Cloud ripped his hands out of Reilena's and rubbed at his eyes. When he looked back up, his eyes had returned to normal.  
  
"Did you see it?" he said, looking straight at Reilena. She shook her head; above them, Barret snorted.  
  
"See what?" Cloud pointed at the tank.  
  
"It's moving…still alive?" he murmured; Tifa slung one of his arms over her shoulder and helped him to his feet. Reilena stood up as well, and Barret glanced into the tank. A moment later, he jumped back from the tank, shaken.  
  
"Where's its fucking head?!" he muttered. He looked over and saw Tifa, Cloud, and Reilena gazing at him; he shook his head, straightening his vest confidently. "This whole thing's stupid. Let's keep goin'."  
  
"Hojo took the elevator at the end of the room to the 68th floor," Tifa said, pointing across the room. Sure enough, an elevator stood among piled up crates, cages, and the like; it looked to be barely big enough for the four of them. Silent, they made their way across the room, Barret entering the elvator first, and Reilena walked in last, pressing the 'up' button.   
  
"Are you all ready?" she murmured. Cloud nodded.  
  
"I am," he answered. Reilena glanced over at Barret and Tifa.  
  
"And you two…are you ready?" Tifa smiled, and Barret bowed his head once. Reilena smiled weakly to them just as the elevator stopped. Before Reilena could walk out, Cloud held an arm out in front of her, glancing at her calmly.  
  
"Let me go out first," he said quietly. Complying, Reilena stepped back, and Cloud strode out of the elevator first, Reilena and Tifa behind him, and Barret bringing up the rear.   
  
"Well, what do you know," a voice called out. The troupe glanced across the room, and spied Hojo walking out of a room, hands behind his back as usual. A knowing smile crept across his face, and he walked up to Reilena calmly, reaching out toward her. "Just as I ask the President to go out and search for you again, you come right to me. Quite convenient…I'm sure you came for this, after all?" he asked, stepping aside. In the center of the room, Aerith stood in a clear glass cylindrical cage.   
  
"Aerith!" Cloud yelled. Hojo glanced behind Reilena with an amused look.  
  
"Aerith?" he asked. "Oh, is that her name?" Hojo glanced back at Reilena. "And I'm sure you have an equally amusing name as well," he continued, glancing over her. Reilena narrowed her eyes furiously, and Hojo smiled, looking back at Cloud, Barret, and Tifa again. "So…what do _you_ want?"  
  
"We're taking Aerith back," Cloud growled, reaching for his sword. Hojo rolled his eyes, grabbing Reilena's hand and pulling her aside.  
  
"Outsiders…" he muttered, peering into Reilena's eyes. "Why do you associate yourself with such people?" She snarled, clenching her teeth, and Hojo grinned. "You're much more of a fighter than your sister…"  
  
"Should've noticed it earlier, you…" Barret said angrily. Hojo turned back to the trio, sighing in exasperation.  
  
"There's so many frivolous things in this world…" he began; Barret growled, pointing his gun-arm at the scientist. Hojo merely glanced at the weapon and chuckled. "Are you going to _kill_ me?" he asked. "I don't think you should. The equipment here is extremely delicate…without me, who could operate it? Hmm?" Hojo paced the room, stopping in front of the trio. Barret clenched his teeth, still aiming; after a moment, Cloud set a hand on his gun-arm, shaking his head.  
  
"Ugh…don't listen to him, Barret. He wants you to get angry and do something rash," Cloud said in a low voice. Barret's eyes narrowed, but he dropped his arm in frustration. Hojo smiled, glancing over at Reilena with a nod; before she could react, the same worker they had seen in the floor below came up beside her, pinning her arms behind her back. Victorious, Hojo turned back to Tifa, Cloud, and Barret, clasping his hands in front of him.  
  
"That's right. I recommend you think out things logically before you make _any_ rash moves," he said; the worker pulled Reilena over to a control panel and waited for Hojo's command. He waved a hand in the air calmly. "Bring in the specimen!"  
  
"Yes, sir." The worker pressed a button on the console; within Aerith's cage, a section of the floor dropped out, returning seconds later with a four-legged scarlet beast beside Aerith. Reilena pulled against her captor's grip, growling ferally.  
  
"_Aerith_!" Scared, Aerith glanced over at Reilena, then Cloud and the group as she pressed up against the glass sides.  
  
"Cloud! Reilena! Help!" Her voice was muffled by the container, but they could still hear her plea. Angered, Cloud glared at Hojo, who motioned for his employee to bring Reilena to the container. Cloud, Tifa, and Barret watched as the worker dragged Reilena to the cage; she fought against him, even dug her heels into the floor, but to no avail. He pressed a switch on the side of the container closest to Aerith and shoved Reilena in before she could fight back. The wall slammed shut behind her; outside Hojo walked up to the cage with a confident smile, and Cloud glowered at the scientist.  
  
"What do you think you're _doin'_?" he asked, his voice frighteningly calm. Hojo glanced back at him for a second, then turned to his cage; Reilena and Aerith still appeared to be scared, while the scarlet beast stood before them, watching them closely.  
  
"Lending a helping hand to an endangered species, that's all," Hojo explained. "The three you see inside…they are all on the brink of extinction. If I don't help, all these animals will disappear."  
  
"…_animals_?" Tifa snapped. She pulled her gloves down on her hands angrily. "That's _terrible_! Aerith and Reilena are human beings!"  
  
"So their names are Aerith and Reilena? Thank you for that interesting tidbit," Hojo said. He kept his watch over the cage, ignorant of Barret's infuriated stare.   
  
"You're gonna pay!" he bellowed. Cloud immediately turned to Barret.  
  
"Barret, can't you do anything?" he asked, motioning toward the AVALANCHE leader's gun-arm. Barret nodded, aiming his arm at the cage.   
  
"Awright!! Step back!" Barret yelled. Hojo glanced back at Barret, his eyes wide when he realized what the man was going to do.  
  
"Stop!!" Hojo pleaded. Barret shook his head, opening fire at the canister. Hojo strode back in astonished shock.  
  
"Wh…what are you do - Oh! My precious specimens…" he cried; within the cage, Aerith and Reilena were kicking at the door Barret was shooting at, weakening its hold. Before Hojo could make a move, the door flew open, and the beast leapt out with a low snarl, knocking Hojo to the ground. Cloud gestured to Tifa and Barret, pointing toward the canister.  
  
"Now's our chance to get Aerith and Reilena!! C'mon!" Immediately, Cloud ran for the cage, Tifa and Barret hot on his heels. He stopped just in front of the glass door and held a hand out. Seconds later, Aerith grabbed a hold, and Cloud helped her out of the cage; Reilena strode out just behind her, not nearly as shaken as Aerith, but still had an arm slung over her sister's shoulder.  
  
"Aerith, are you alright?" Reilena whispered. Aerith nodded, a shaky smile on her face.  
  
"I'm okay, Rei." She turned to Cloud gratefully. "Thanks, Cloud." He shrugged once, turning toward the elevator; before he could lead them back toward it though, he froze. Tifa shot him a confused glance, tense.  
  
"Cloud…what's wrong?" Cloud motioned toward the elevator.  
  
"…the elevator is moving. We can't get in it now," he said. Behind them, Hojo laughed, having wrestled his way out of the beast's claws. He stumbled to his feet, straightening his glasses feebly, and threw an arm out toward the far end of the room. Two large creatures marched out from an unseen corridor; Aerith, Tifa, Cloud, Barret, and Reilena gasped, and Hojo shook his head, pointing at the creatures.  
  
"This…this is no ordinary specimen," he said, trying to contain his laughter. "This is a very ferocious specimen!" Cloud pulled out his sword and Barret adjusted his gun as Hojo stumbled out of the laboratory. The scarlet creature remained in place, looking over the new monsters with a wary eye before turning back to the small group on the other side, and nodded at the monsters.  
  
"Sample:HO512 and Sample:HO512-opts. He's rather strong," the creature said, trotting over to Cloud. "I'll help you all out." Tifa stared down at the scarlet beast in wonder.  
  
"It _talked_?!" she sqeaked. The creature shook its mane, turning back to the Samples at hand.  
  
"I'll talk as much as you want later, Miss," it said calmly. Cloud nodded curtly and turned to the group. "We'll take care of the monster…Tifa, you take Aerith and Reilena somewhere safe. Barret, I'm countin' on you to help us against those!" he said, pointing at the Samples. Barret grinned, preparing to attack, and Cloud turned back to the creature. "What's your name?" The creature whuffed, rolling its eye.  
  
"Hojo has named me Red XIII," he replied. "A name with no meaning whatsoever to me." Shaking his mane, Red turned to face the monsters, tensing for the impending battle. Cloud gave Red a curt nod and stood at the ready, blade drawn.  
  
"Come on!" he yelled. The Samples turned toward the source of the noise and attacked.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Aerith, how are you doing now?" Tifa asked, looking at Aerith's eyes to make sure there was nothing wrong. She nodded calmly, gesturing toward her sister.  
  
"I'm okay…check on Rei for me, though," she replied. Obliging, Tifa turned to Reilena; the younger Gainsborough was watching the battle not too far away, her eyes narrowed angrily.  
  
_Just what the hell is Hojo after?_ she thought. _First the ex-Turk I keep seeing…Red…and now Aerith and myself. What is the Shinra after besides the Promised Land? What do they want with all this; do they even know about it?  
_  
A blinding flash of light, then a growl; the three women turned to the battle. The Samples crashed to the ground, dead, and the three remaining members of their ground turned to them. Cloud quickly sheathed the Hardedge and rushed over to Aerith, setting a hand on her shoulder as he knelt beside her. Behind him, Barret strode up, setting his gun-arm, while Red XIII trotted up, a Talisman in his mouth.  
  
"Aerith, you all right?" Cloud asked, concerned. She remained quiet for the moment, and Tifa answered for her.  
  
"She and Rei seem all right…in many ways." She put an arm around each sister, hugging them lightly; Red sniffed, dropping the Talisman in Reilena's lap.  
  
"I have a right to choose, too," he retorted. "I don't like two-legged things."  
  
"An' speakin' of you," Barret cut in, folding his arms as he looked down at Red, "jus' what _are_ you, anyway?" The rest of the group gazed at the creature, waiting for his reply. Red merely chuckled.  
  
"An informed question, but difficult to answer," he replied. "I am what you see." Barret's brow furrowed; Red nodded knowingly. "You must have many questions, but first, let's get out of here." He looked up at Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Reilena; silently, the four rose to their feet, Reilena putting the Talisman in her satchel, and Barret joined up with them. Gesturing toward the exit with his muzzle, Red started off. "C'mon…I'll lead the way." After a moment of hesitation, Barret started after Red first, followed by Tifa, and then Aerith, Cloud, and Reilena. Aerith gazed up at Cloud as they walked, a weak but grateful smile on her face.  
  
"Cloud…so you _did_ come for me," she murmured. Cloud nodded, glancing down at her for a moment; Reilena rolled her eyes, but remained silent.   
  
Red led the group into the main room, stopping just before the elevator. Once they had all caught up and stopped, Red walked up to the Gainsborough sisters, bowing his head. "I apologize for what happened back there," he began slowly. "I was merely acting to throw Hojo off guard…I had no intention of attacking either of you." Aerith and Reilena gazed at each other for a second, and Reilena knelt down, ruffling Red's mane.  
  
"No hard feelings," she replied, smiling. Red's eyes brightened; Barret glanced around the corridor warily, and Reilena stood back up. "What's wrong now?"  
  
"Now that we've saved Aerith, ain't no need to be in this buildin'!" he declared; beside him, Tifa nodded in agreement, and he waved his left hand down the corridor. "So let's get the hell outta here!"  
  
"Wait," Cloud said, holding up a hand calmly. The group looked over at the blonde, and he explained. "If all six of us stay together, we'll definitely be noticed." Red nodded.  
  
"Quite right," he agreed. "I suggest splitting up into two separate groups." Tifa held her hands in the air, walking up to Cloud's side.  
  
"Well I'm not leaving without Cloud, so I'll go with him," she said. Barret joined her a moment later, a determined sheen in his eyes, and Cloud glanced over at Red.  
  
"Can you take Aerith and Reilena down to the 66th floor elevator?" he asked. "Tifa, Barret and I will meet you there, and then we'll take the stairs back outside." Beside him, Barret grumbled under his breath; Cloud peered up at the AVALANCHE leader, then back at Red XIII. Silent, Red turned to the Gainsboroughs; both girls nodded, and Red glanced back at Cloud with a curt nod. Behind the creature, Aerith smiled, confident.  
  
"Then it's decided," she said, waving good-bye. "We'll be waiting. See you all later!"  
  
"Don't be late," Red cautioned. Cloud, Tifa, and Barret agreed that they would be there, and watched Red, Reilena, and Aerith turn the corner before stepping into the open elevator car. Once inside, Barret chuckled.  
  
"That was easier than I thought it would be," he said, leaning against a wall of the elevator. Cloud remained silent, about to press the button for the 66th floor. Instead, he heard Tifa gasp, and felt a gun against his back.   
  
"H-hey! What is it?" he growled, turning on his heel. Tseng smiled back at him, pointing a small black pistol at Cloud's chest. Just behind, Rude had both Tifa and Barret backed into the rear of the car. The bald man peered over his shoulder toward Tseng and Cloud.  
  
"Would you press 'Up,' please?" he called. Cloud faltered; in accordance, Tseng turned off the safety on his pistol, leaving Cloud with no choice. Grudgingly, he pressed the button, and glared up at Tseng as the elevator began its ascent.  
  
"Turks, huh? This must be a trap…" he muttered. Tseng chuckled calmly, shrugging once as he flicked his free hand in the air. Four metallic clicks rang out; Barret and Tifa were handcuffed by Rude, rendered helpless for the time being.  
  
"It must have been a real thrill for you," Tseng replied. Cocking his head to the left, he reached for his own handcuffs. "Did you enjoy it?"  
  
"Ugh." The elevator stopped; Tseng motioned for Cloud to turn as Rude led Tifa and Barret out, and slapped the cuffs onto Cloud's wrists. He then pushed Cloud out, returning the pistol to his back. "Now follow Rude up there…you and your friends are going to pay the President a little courtesy visit," Tseng ordered in a cool voice.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
A low buzzer interrupted President Shinra's reading, and he set his newspaper down on his desk, folding his hands as he watched the double doors closely. "Come in," he called; Rude came in first, pushing Barret and Tifa into the room. Tseng, Reno, and Elena followed; Tseng brought Cloud in between Barret and Tifa so that he stood front and center, while Elena led Red XIII to the end of the lineup. Reno promptly strode up to President Shinra, whispering in his ear, and a smile crossed the President's face. Defeated, Cloud glanced around at his accomplices while the President and Reno spoke.  
  
"You all got caught too," he muttered; a moment later he realized Red had entered alone, and glanced over at the scarlet creature. "Where is Aerith? Is she with Rei? Where are they?"  
  
"In a safe place." Cloud glared up at President Shinra; the blonde bearded man stood up as Reno moved aside, and looked over the group. "Those girls are the last surviving Ancients." Walking around his desk, President Shinra laced his hands behind his back, pacing before his prisoners. "Don't you know? They called themselves the Cetra, and lived thousands of years ago. Alas, they are now just a forgotten page in history."  
  
"Cetra…" President Shinra glanced down at Red XIII, who was seemingly thinking aloud. The creature suddenly glanced up at the President, a confused look marring his face. "Those girls…are they survivors of the Cetra?" President Shinra nodded.  
  
"Cetra, or the Ancients, will show us the way to the Promised Land." He stopped, rubbing his beard in thought. "I'm expecting a lot out of them."  
  
"The Promised Land?" Red scoffed. "Isn't that just a legend?" President Shinra shrugged, turning to face the group once more. Tifa, Cloud, and Barret glared at the President, but remained quiet for the time being.  
  
"Even so, it's just too appealing to _not_ pursue." His voice took on a far-away tone as he began pacing again, ignorant of the captives glowering at him. "It's been said the Promised Land is very fertile…and if the land is fertile…"  
  
"Then there's gotta be Mako!" Barret interrupted; he growled as the President grinned at him, snapping his fingers.  
  
"_Exactly_. You see, that is why our money-sucking Mako Reactors are necessary. The abundant Mako will just come out on its own. _That_ is where Neo-Midgar will be built. Shinra's new glory…" President Shinra's daydreams were suddenly halted, the reason being Barret's snarling as he tried to break his handcuffs.  
  
"You fuckin' moron!" he yelled. "Quit dreamin'!" President Shinra merely glanced at the infuriated man before him, calm.  
  
"Oh really. Don't you know?" he asked, staring Barret straight in the eyes. "All it takes for your dreams to come true these days is money and power." With a snide laugh, President Shinra walked back to his desk, sat down, and took his newspaper in hand. "Well, that is all for this meeting," he finished calmly, glancing over at Tseng. The Turk leader nodded once; Rude, Reno, and Elena appeared behind Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Red, ready to escort them out of the executive office. Barret fought against Rude however, hollering at the President even as he was being taken out of the room.  
  
"Hold it! I got a lot I wanna say to you!" Rude narrowed his eyes, shoving Barret forward.  
  
"Outta his way," Rude said coldly. At his desk, President Shinra peered over the top of his newspaper, smiling.  
  
"If you need something else," he called, "talk to my secretary." Barret hollered obscenities from down the hallway, while Cloud, Tifa, and Red remained placid; President Shinra merely chuckled, turning the pages of his newspaper, and read on.


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Cloud, Aerith, and co. are all copyright SquareEnix, Co. Reilena Gainsborough is copyright Vinja Ryou.

**A/N:** This takes place during the imprisonment/fight with Hojo's Samples. Creative liberties have been taken with this, so if it doesn't seem familiar...that's why. Oh yes...Reilena's gift is of vast importance that will be revealed in due time.

* * *

"So where's you takin' all of us now?" Barret asked gruffly, standing in the back of the elevator car. Rude peered over his shoulder just as the elevator stopped, and stood aside, allowing the large man to exit first. Across from them, Cloud and Tifa walked out of an elevator followed by Elena, and Red ambled out beside Reno. Rude nodded toward Reno, who led the group out of the 67th floor elevator corridor. Walking past Hojo's familiar storing area, the Turks led their prisoners down a hall of holding cells. Rude and Reno walked to the end cell, opening it up; Red walked in first. Rude quickly undid Barret's handcuffs and shoved him into the cell, shutting it before he could think of escaping. Laughing sarcastically, Barret looked around the cell. "Aw, real nice. I see Shinra don't waste its money on prisons."   
  
"I swear, you're the most talkative prisoner we've had yet," Elena snapped, unlocking Tifa's handcuffs; a moment later she and Cloud were pushed into the cell next to Barret and Red's. The door was slammed shut, and the Turks left the premises. Cloud sat down on the cot in his and Tifa's cell, his arms on his knees, while Tifa sat cross-legged on the ground beside him.  
  
"Well _this_ is a setback," Tifa muttered to herself, fixing her gloves uselessly. Cloud glanced down at his longtime friend, blowing out a sigh.   
  
_No use talking to Barret at least_, Cloud thought. I wonder how he's doing. Leaning back on the cot, Cloud listened through the stone wall of his cell; there was no real reason for it though, as the irate AVALANCHE leader's voice carried throughout the corridors.   
  
Barret leaned against the wall of his own cell, glancing down at Red as he spoke. "Aerith and Reilena are Ancients, and the real name of the Ancients is the Cetra," he said, thinking aloud. "The Ancients know where the Promised Land is and the Shinra is searching for that Promised Land. Pfft, I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land. I don't know if it even exists. Is that right?" Red remained silent, and Barret continued. "The Shinra believe that the Promised Land is full of Mako energy. Which means, if the Shinra get there, they'll suck up all the Mako energy…and the land'll wither away. The Planet's gonna get weaker." A determined look came over Barret's face, and he smacked his fist into the wall beside him. "I _can't_ just leave 'em be…I'm recruitin' new members!! Me, Tifa, Cloud…and Aerith and Reilena too." Nodding to himself, Barret glanced down at Red. "How 'bout you?" Red merely looked up at Barret drowsily, and laid his muzzle back on his forelegs; Barret rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "You're so damn boring," he mumbled, sitting down on the cot. Near his feet, Red pawed at his muzzle, his brow furrowed.  
  
"…Grandpa," Red murmured. Barret looked down at Red, wide-eyed.  
  
"_Grandpa_?!" Barret covered his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter as he listened to the snoozing creature. "Grandpa, hmm…ha, ha, ha…" Suddenly, Red stirred, his eye opening, and looked up at Barret as he yawned.  
  
"What's so funny?" Red asked; Barret shook his head, the smile still on his face, though his laughter had mostly subsided.  
  
"Nothin'…ha, ha," he replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender. Red cocked his head, gazing over Barret. A moment later he sneezed, and lay back down on the ground.  
  
Cloud shook his head, having listened to the entire little conversation between Red and Barret. Stretching his arms over his head, he glanced down at the floor beside the cot; Tifa leaned against the stone wall, braiding her hair absentmindedly. Cloud smiled lightly; he had to admit that he'd missed Tifa while on his SOLDIER excursions, and it had been nice meeting up with her again in Midgar. He worried a bit about her involvement in AVALANCHE, even though it seemed that she could hold her own well enough, not to mention Aerith and Reilena. Cloud glanced up at the ceiling of their cell with a low sigh; _I wonder how Aerith and Rei are doing._  
  
Aerith slowly reopened her eyes; her hands were still clasped before her. She had been praying; praying for hers and her sister's safety, for the Planet's safety, and for Cloud's safety.   
  
She and Reilena had been captured by Reno not too long after leaving Cloud and the others; though Red had put up quite a fight trying to protect them, it had been to no avail, and the redheaded Turk had brought both Gainsboroughs to their cell. Elena assisted Reno, and took Red captive. Neither Aerith nor Reilena knew where Red had been taken, nor did they know how the rest of their group was, which was exactly why Aerith had been praying almost ever since she and her sister had been taken to their prison. Finally, Aerith dropped her hands to her lap, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she gazed across the tiny cell at her sister.  
  
Reilena sat against the wall of the cell, rolling her silver Materia in her hands. She'd kept it hidden from the Turks when they'd captured Aerith and herself, and pulled it out only after she was certain Reno and Elena had left the premises. The Materia's glow was still bright, but it was deepening as well; even now, its glow was almost pitch-black. Tilting her head curiously, she glanced up at her sister; Aerith looked right back at her, a worried look in her eyes.  
  
"Rei…where do you think the others were taken?" she asked. "I'm worried about them."  
  
"You mean you're worried about _Cloud_," Reilena said. Aerith raised an eyebrow; her younger sister laughed. "Aerith, you like Cloud. It's so obvious, y'know, but Tifa likes him too. I can tell; she's getting jealous of you." Reilena turned her glance back down to her Materia as Aerith's blush deepened; as she dropped her gaze to the floor, Aerith noticed the darkening sheen of the Materia as well. Looking up again, Reilena saw the look on Aerith's face, and stopped rolling the stone. "Aerith, what is it?"  
  
"The Materia…" she said, inching closer to her sister; once she was in front of Reilena, she looked down at the stone curiously. "It's almost _black_…why?" Reilena shrugged, quickly pocketing the stone.  
  
"I have no idea. It just started about an hour ago," she murmured, not meeting Aerith's gaze. "I have no idea why it's doing that though - all the other times when it would glow, it would be a bright silver colour, but that was always before…" she trailed off, leaving Aerith to stare at her suspiciously.  
  
"Rei…what aren't you telling me?" she whispered. Reilena shook her head, and Aerith took her sister's hands in hers. "You _have_ to tell me…" she stopped suddenly, listening; she could've sworn she heard a familiar voice just across the corridor.   
  
"…I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land, though…" Barret said; Aerith stared at Reilena, hope glimmering in her eyes.   
  
"That was Barret!" she whispered happily. "That means Cloud must be nearby!" Dropping Reilena's hands, Aerith rose to her feet and walked silently to their cell door. "Cloud…are you there?"  
  
_Wha_?! Was that Aerith's voice he'd heard? Cloud sat up straight on his cot, leaning toward the cell door. "Aerith!?"  
  
"Yeah?" It was she alright; Cloud breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"You safe?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm all right." Aerith peered over at Reilena happily. "I knew Cloud would come for me." Reilena rolled her eyes; across the hall, Cloud chuckled.  
  
"Hey, I'm your bodyguard, right?" he said. Aerith smiled.  
  
"And the deal was for one date, right?" she replied. Reilena turned to her sister, wide-eyed; beside Cloud, Tifa sat up straight, jealous pangs running through her. She looked over at Cloud; he was now leaning toward the cell door, talking to Aerith, and she pouted.  
  
"…Oh, I get it," Tifa muttered, loud enough for Aerith to hear; the older Gainsborough raised an eyebrow. Reilena smiled.  
  
"Tifa! Tifa, you're there, too!" Aerith called. Tifa sniffed, walking over to the cell door. Peering through, she saw Aerith sitting near the door and gave her a solemn look.  
  
"EXCUSE me," she said, inching past Cloud; surprised, Cloud sat back on the cot, allowing Tifa room to speak. She turned back to Aerith with the same calm look. "You know Aerith, I have a couple questions."  
  
"What?"  
  
"First off, where's Rei?"  
  
"Right here," Reilena called; as Tifa watched, Reilena came up beside Aerith. "I'm fine Tifa…how about you guys?" Tifa smiled.  
  
"Cloud an' I are okay; Barret and Red are next door. 'Far as I know, they're fine." Clearing her throat, she continued. "Now my second question for you both; does the Promised Land really exist?" Silence; Aerith and Reilena looked at each other, both wondering just how much they should say. After a moment, Aerith finally began.   
  
"…We don't know," she said with a low sigh. "All we know is…"  
  
"The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the Planet," Reilena cut in. She clapped a hand over her mouth, looking over at Aerith. "Sorry 'bout that."  
  
"Don't worry about it - we can both tell them," Aerith replied. She turned back to the door and continued. "It's as Reilena said…and…then…" she sighed again. "The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme happiness." She went silent, hanging her head. Beside her, Reilena leaned her head on Aerith's shoulder; across from their cell, Tifa shot Cloud a strange look, having waved him over to listen during the explanation.  
  
"…What does that mean?" she finally asked.   
  
"…Speak with the Planet?" Cloud mused aloud. Tifa looked over at him; Cloud nodded.  
  
"Just what does the Planet say?"   
  
"It's full of people and noisy," Aerith replied.   
  
"That's why it's so hard to make out what they are saying," Reilena added. Cloud dropped his gaze; it sounded as if both Aerith and Reilena were a bit distressed from talking about it, but they needed to know as much as possible, as soon as possible…  
  
"You hear it now?" he asked quietly, looking across the hall; Aerith and Reilena both shook their heads.  
  
"We…we only heard it at the church in the slums," Aerith replied, her voice taking on a distant tone. "Mother said that Midgar was no longer safe. That is…our real mother," she said, taking Reilena's hand in hers.   
  
"Someday, we'll get out of Midgar…speak with the Planet…and find our Promised Land…that's what Mom said," Reilena continued. Aerith nodded, wiping at her eyes with her free hand.  
  
"We thought we would stop hearing her voice as we grew up, but…it's still there…still guiding, speaking…excuse me…" Aerith trailed off, leaning her head on Reilena's shoulder; Reilena stroked her sister's hair, hugging her as she cried quietly.  
  
"Aerith's a little upset now, guys," Reilena whispered. "Best that we stop talking about it for the time being." Cloud nodded in agreement, sitting back from the door.  
  
"Of course. I'm sorry," he said. Turning back to Tifa, he shook his head slowly. "So they really _are_ the last of the Ancients…that's why the Turks were after them that day," Cloud murmured.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Tifa asked, sitting back from the door. Cloud sighed.  
  
"The day I dropped in through the church - Reno came in, looking for Aerith and Reilena. Said something about chasing them for so long," he explained. "And then of course, after all we heard from Elmyra…it just all makes sense now." Tifa nodded slowly, the thoughts finally falling into place, and glanced up at Cloud with determination.  
  
"So is there any way we can get out of here?" she asked. Cloud stood up for a moment, a hand underneath his chin as he glanced about. The walls seemed too strong for him to break through with his sword and weak Materia magic…  
  
"Leave it to me," he replied. Tifa grinned.  
  
"Cloud, you're so brave!" she whispered. Cloud shook his head, climbing off the cot. Tifa shot him a curious glance, and he gestured for her to take it.  
  
"Let's just get some sleep now. You can take the cot," he said. Tifa nodded gratefully, and laid down on the cot with a yawn. Cloud sat down against the wall, resting his chin on his chest as he shut his eyes. _We have to get out of here, and soon. There's no telling what will happen if Shinra has the Ancients in possession.  
_  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
They were nearby; he could sense it. The Shinra had them. His glare narrowed, he stepped off the 66th floor elevator calmly. Just a few seconds later, he heard several footsteps running down the corridor, and shook his head.  
  
"Stay right where you are!" a Shinra SOLDIER yelled. Still shaking his head, he stood in the center of the corridor, facing the direction of the footsteps. Four SOLDIERs came around the corner, each with their own Buster Sword, and lined up. Their leader raised his own sword to give out his next command, but stopped just short of yelling, eyes widened in fear. "Y-you're…but we thought…_General_?" the lead SOLDIER stuttered.  
  
"You remember? I'm _touched_," he replied calmly. A low metallic _shht_ cut the air; the four SOLDIERs gasped upon seeing the huge longsword. He looked over the SOLDIERs with a cold smile. "It'll be the last thing you _do_ remember." The sword sliced through the air; Shinra's elite force had no chance. In seconds, the men slumped to the ground, their blood covering the ground and walls. He sheathed his sword quietly and continued on his way; there was someone he had to see before his 'meeting' with President Shinra.  
  
He walked up the stairs to the 67th floor, toward the holding cells Professor Hojo had near his storage laboratory. Stepping out of the stairwell, the only noise he could hear besides his own footsteps was snoring; he raised an eyebrow, heading toward the cell corridor, and glanced toward the corner of the hallway. _Elite SOLDIERs indeed_, he thought, staring down at the sleeping Shinra guard. In one smooth motion he drew his blade, slit the man's throat with the very end, and replaced the weapon. Certain the SOLDIER was dead, he knelt down in front of the corpse and took the cell keys from its hand, then rose and walked down the corridor.  
  
It wasn't a very long walk; he stopped at the second-to-last cell on his left and peered inside, glancing down for a second at the keyring he held. The cell key was simple to find; in seconds he unlocked the cell door and strode in, silent as he gazed around. He brushed his hair from his eyes, and spied what looked to be a person lying along the wall. Keeping as quiet as possible, he walked over to the body and knelt down beside it; it was whom he'd been looking for for the time being. Even in the darkness, he could see the dimmed glow of the gift he'd given her several years back. He picked up her wrist to check for a pulse; she was alive. The Shinra hadn't killed her just yet. A soft smile came over his face as he set her hand down and gazed down at her.   
  
Silence; a moment or two passed by before her eyes started to open, slowly but surely. He stayed at her side, waiting; she stifled a yawn and glanced up tiredly. A split-second later her eyes widened, jolted awake, and she gasped. "Seph…!" He laid a finger on her lips, shaking his head, and she stayed silent, but still in shock.   
  
"I told you I would return, Reilena," he whispered. "Did I not?" Reilena nodded, and Sephiroth dropped his hand, letting her speak. She stared at him wide-eyed, raising a hand to his face, then his hair; he was sitting there all right, this wasn't a hallucination or anything. Taking her hand back, Reilena glanced down at the floor for a moment.  
  
"What's going on? Where've you been? _Why_ are you here?" she rattled off, her voice shaky. Sephiroth shook his head, chuckling under his breath, and stood up, offering his hand to Reilena. She took his hand and he helped her to her feet, then continued.  
  
"What I am here for…I cannot explain at the moment. I knew the Shinra had the last Ancients imprisioned though, and that is all I can say," he replied. A glance at Reilena's face to see the confused look she still gave him, and he nodded once. "I know Aerith and yourself are the last of the Cetra."  
  
"How?" Again he shook his head, and took her face in his hand gently, making sure she looked up at him as he spoke.  
  
"I can't explain. I promise though…" he continued, just as Reilena was about to argue, "I will begin to tell you everything soon. Until that time comes...I will watch over you." He looked into her eyes closely, trying to read her thoughts; Reilena glanced down, and Sephiroth dropped his hand from her face, taking her hands in his.   
  
"So you can't tell me anything right now," she muttered. "After all this time, after what Aerith, Cloud, and I have been through…and you won't tell me a thing."  
  
_Cloud…so he's found them as well_, Sephiroth thought irritably. He glanced down at Reilena, deciding not to ask her about the ex-SOLDIER, and nodded. "There will be a time when I will return again…then will I begin to explain everything," he replied. Reilena shook her head, taking her hands back as she lowered her eyes to the floor.  
  
"Then go. You have nothing of importance to say or do at the moment, so go. Leave us to find out what the Shinra have planned for us," Reilena shot back. Sighing, Sephiroth reached into his trenchcoat, and held his hand out to Reilena. Arching an eyebrow, she stared first at Sephiroth's outstretched hand, then up into his eyes. "What is that?"  
  
"You still have the Materia I gave you," he said calmly. "You were never able to do anything with it, correct?"  
  
"Right…what are you getting at? Do you know anything about it, or does _that_ explanation have to wait, too?" she said sarcastically. Instead of answering, Sephiroth took her hand and set down what he'd had in her palm. Still skeptical, Reilena glanced down at what he had given her, and stared back up at him, confused. "The hell?"   
  
"The silver Materia will fit in the pendant. Trust me," he replied, gesturing toward the black necklace he'd given her. Reilena glanced down at the necklace - the charm was a small size, just big enough for the stone, and had what almost looked like simple claws on the upper and lower part of the charm. She reached into her pocket and took out the Materia stone, setting it in the pendant; just as Sephiroth predicted, the stone fit perfectly.   
  
"You were right," Reilena muttered, glancing over the pendant. Sephiroth laughed quietly, reaching for the necklace. Reilena allowed him to take it back; to her surprise though, he stepped behind her, brushing her hair from her neck, and circled the pendant around her throat, fastening it quickly. Sephiroth then walked in front of Reilena again, a small smile adorning his face as Reilena looked down at the pendant. She glanced back up at Sephiroth, her eyes a mixture of confusion and gratitude. "Thanks…" He nodded.  
  
"Soon. I promise you." Reilena sighed, bowing her head.   
  
"Five years' soon…?" she began; black-gloved hands on either side of her face tilted her head up. Sephiroth shook his head, the same calm smile across his lips; a moment later he leaned down and kissed her, gently at first. She reached up to touch his hand, returning his kiss; to her slight surprise however, Sephiroth dropped his free hand down to her waist and pulled her close, deepening his kiss as he held her to him. Reilena glanced up at him, about to shove him back - he was being much more forceful than usual, and it was beginning to scare her - when he quietly broke his kiss, taking his tongue back into his mouth as he gazed down at her with the same calm smile.   
  
"Soon…that is all I can tell you," he whispered. Reilena nodded once more, an eyebrow raised, and Sephiroth kissed her forehead before finally taking his hands away from her. With a silent wave, he turned on his heel and left the cell; just before he left the cell block however, Sephiroth peered into the cell across from the Gainsboroughs', his brow furrowed as he caught sight of Cloud slumbering beside the cot. _I never thought I would see you again, either_, he thought, shaking his head. Seconds later, he was at the elevator to the President's office, a hand on the hilt of his sword. It was time.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
_Sephiroth…so he's alive?_ Reilena thought, touching her lips hesitantly. She went to sit down again, leaning her back against the wall so as to brace her fall, and felt something beside her. An eyebrow raised, Reilena's expression quickly changed to disbelief when she realized what it was. _The cell keys! But if he had them…_she rose to her feet again and peered out of her's and Aerith's cell, eyes widened at the sight of the dead soldier in the corner. Reilena quickly turned back into the cell, focusing her eyes on the dark corner opposite her, and took a deep breath, although her heart pounded like a jackhammer. Glancing down at the keyring she gripped, she noticed that the glow of the silver Materia was beginning to darken again. A moment to think about it; nodding to no one in particular, Reilena walked over to the cot and knelt down, shaking Aerith's shoulder. It didn't take very long to wake her, as Aerith turned to her sister, bleary-eyed.  
  
"What is it, Rei?" she asked. Reilena held up the keyring, and Aerith gasped, wide-awake. She snatched the keys out of Reilena's hand and flipped through them. Sure enough, there were the keys to theirs, Cloud's, and Barret's cells, and she stared up at Reilena in absolute shock. "Where did you get this?"  
  
"I…" _How in the HELL am I supposed to explain that Sephiroth was here?_ Reilena thought to herself. Glancing back up at Aerith, she ran a hand through her hair, laughing nervously. "Funny you should ask, Aerith…uh…"  
  
"Forget it," Aerith replied, cutting Reilena off. "Let's go let the others out!" She stood up from the cot and strode out of the cell; Reilena followed close behind, and Aerith handed her the key to Barret and Red XIII's cell. "You go let Barret and Red out. I'll wake Cloud and Tifa."  
  
"Got it." Reilena left to go unlock the last cell; Aerith found the key she needed, and quickly unlocked the cell across from her's and Reilena's. Cloud and Tifa lay asleep - Tifa on the cot, facing the wall, while Cloud was on the ground beside the cot. Aerith sighed, kneeling beside Cloud, and shook his shoulder.   
  
"Cloud…Cloud wake up," she whispered. "C'mon, let's get out of here." Aerith sat back when she saw Cloud's eyelids twich; a second later he sat up, staring at her.  
  
"Aerith, what are you…" She shook her head.  
  
"No time to explain. Wake Tifa," she instructed. Cloud turned, tapping Tifa on the cheek.  
  
"Tifa…wake up!" Yawning, Tifa glanced at Cloud. He wore a solemn look on his face; behind him stood Aerith, and she jumped to her feet, no longer tired.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked. Cloud glanced over at Aerith; before she could answer, Barret's voice cracked the silence.  
  
"How'd you get in here?"   
  
"Don't ask. Let's just go," Reilena argued. Red nodded, on his feet, and Barret sighed.   
  
"I never get any answers 'round here," he grumbled, following Reilena. Just as they stepped out, he spied the dead guard down the hall, and he glared at Reilena. "What the hell's goin' on?"  
  
"Just what I was thinking," Tifa said; Aerith, Cloud, and herself were already outside their cell, and were staring at the corpse as well. Tifa, Cloud, and Barret turned to the Gainsborough girls, confused looks on their faces. "So…can either of you tell us what happened?"  
  
"I wouldn't know…Reilena was the one who woke me," Aerith replied. She turned to her little sister; Reilena toyed with her pendant nervously, and Aerith raised an eyebrow. "Wait…when did you get that…"  
  
"No human could have done this," Red interrupted. The group turned to the creature; Red stood beside the dead guard, shaking his mane. "I'm going to go on ahead and get to the bottom of this."  
  
"And I'll clean up back here," Barret said, "so you guys go on ahead. And don't get caught by Shinra!" he added, walking over to the corpse.   
  
"That's settled then," Tifa added. "Let's follow Red XIII." She started off after him, followed by Cloud. Aerith began to go after Cloud, but stopped to glance at her sister. Reilena still looked worried, but at the same time she looked a bit guilty, and Aerith could sense something around her…  
  
"Rei, there's something you're not telling me, and I'm going to find out what it is," Aerith said. Reilena nodded slowly.  
  
"I know." She strode after Cloud, leaving Aerith to stare at her sister's retreating form. Sighing, Aerith glanced down at Barret - he had already hooked his hands underneath the dead man's, and was dragging him into an open cell. He glanced up at Aerith, a solemn look in his eyes.  
  
"What's the matter with your sister there?" he asked. Aerith shook her head, tossing her hair off of her shoulder; without answering, she dashed off after the rest of the group. Barret raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and returned to his own work. _Whatever the hell's goin' on…I don't like it._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
_  
"The Jenova specimen…it's gone," Cloud muttered. Red nodded, sniffing the air.  
  
"Jenova specimen…" he nodded toward the elevator. "Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens."   
  
"The specimen…used the _elevator_?" Tifa asked, worried. Red nodded once, and cantered over to the elevator, waiting for the rest of the group. Cloud glared at the Jenova's canister, the same lightheaded feeling returning again, and shook his head, starting after Red. Tifa grabbed Reilena's wrist, tugging her friend over, and Aerith followed, having caught up to the rest of the group. Once they had all entered the elevator, Cloud pressed the button for the 68th floor, and turned to Reilena, arms folded.  
  
"Do you know anything about this?" he asked, point-blank. Aerith's eyes widened, and she dashed over to Reilena, shielding her from Cloud's view.  
  
"How _dare_ you even think to ask her that!" she shouted. "Reilena would never do any of this!" Cloud merely raised an eyebrow, unfazed.  
  
"You may not know your sister…or your friend," he said, peering back at Tifa, "as well as you think." Gesturing for Aerith to move aside, Cloud peered closely at Reilena. "So…you were the only one awake…you were the one with the cell keys…you tell us what happened." Reilena shook her head, still holding the pendant in one hand; before she could make a sound, the elevator stopped on the 67th floor, and Barret walked in, wiping his bloody hand on his pants.  
  
"Took care of the corpse…what's goin' on here?" he asked. The elevator doors closed; Barret glanced at Cloud, who still stared at the silent Reilena. Aerith stood next to her sister, watching Reilena curiously, while Tifa and Red were in the very back, quiet. Barret raised an eyebrow, inching over to Tifa, and whispered, "What's goin' on?" in her ear. She shrugged.  
  
"Cloud thinks Rei know what happened," she replied. Barret's eyes widened, and he stared at Tifa.  
  
"No shit?" The elevator stopped at its destination before Tifa could answer, and Red pushed through to the front of the car. He walked out first, followed by Aerith, Tifa, and Barret. Just before Reilena could leave, however, Cloud grabbed her right forearm, holding her close, and they walked out together. Both Tifa and Aerith gasped.  
  
"Cloud! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tifa asked angrily. Cloud shook his head silently, not letting go; Reilena made no move to fight back. Aerith went to stand by her sister, and Red dashed around the corner, motioning for everyone to follow him. The group did so; once they arrived, Red nodded toward the ground. A trail of blood led up the stairs before them, seemingly headed toward the President's Office. Cloud peered over at Reilena again, tightening his grip slightly; she remained silent. Red glanced up, making no mention of the situation between Cloud and Reilena, and nodded toward the bloody trail.  
  
"It looks like it leads up…" he muttered quietly. He trotted ahead slowly, Cloud and Reilena close behind, with the rest of the group following. The trail did indeed continue up the stairs, and the coppery smell assaulted the group as they continued upward; the blood was still fresh. Once they'd reached the head of the stairs, Red walked up to the doors of the President's Office. "The trail continues," he said calmly. Cloud gave a curt nod, pushing the doors open with his free hand, and walked in first; the rest followed close behind, identical looks of shock on their faces.  
  
President Shinra sat slumped over his desk. Blood dripped from the front and sides; his arms dangled over the front. A longsword was impaled in his back, the blade still shining.   
  
"He's dead," Barret finally said, having found his voice. "The leader of Shinra, Inc. is dead…" He stayed in place, as did the majority of the group; only Cloud went forward, pulling Reilena along with him, and peered closely at the sword.  
  
"Then this sword must be…!?" Tifa mused, frightened.  
  
"Sephiroth's," Reilena whispered. Cloud stared at the younger woman in slight surprise, and then glanced over his shoulder, stoic. Tifa covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide.  
  
"…Sephiroth is _alive_?" Cloud nodded.  
  
"Looks like it. Only Sephiroth can use that sword," he replied. Behind him, Barret snorted.  
  
"Who cares who did it?" he said. "This is the end of the Shinra now!" Cloud shook his head, walking back to the group with Reilena in tow; she had been looking over the sword, listening to the conversation around her. Barret narrowed his eyes at Cloud, folding his arms as Cloud glared over at Reilena. "Okay, what the hell is the deal, Cloud? Why you treatin' Rei there like shit?"  
  
"An answer we haven't gotten yet," Aerith replied, shooting a cold glare at the blonde mercenary. Only Tifa and Red remained silent; Tifa because she didn't want to say anything to further anger anyone, and Red because he had no idea what was going on. Silent, Cloud glanced over at Reilena before turning to the group.  
  
"The reason why is because I…" Footsteps; Cloud turned, Reilena still in his grasp, and came face to face with the portly, beige-suited man they'd seen in the Executive Room before. "Palmer, I presume?" Cloud said, calm. The man nodded quickly, holding his hands up in terror.  
  
"P, p, p, please don't kill me!" he begged, having seen the murderous sheen in Barret's eyes. Cloud held his hand up, keeping his glance on Palmer.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Se…Sephiroth," Palmer stuttered. "Sephiroth came." Cloud stared at the man in shock, and then at the young woman beside him; did she possibly know anything about this? Shaking his head, Cloud turned back to the terrified businessman before him.  
  
"Did you see him? Did you see Sephiroth?" he asked quickly. Again, Palmer nodded, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief from his breast pocket.  
  
"Yeah, I saw him! I saw him with my own eyes!"  
  
"Pfft…how can you be sure?" Barret grumbled; Cloud glared back, and Barret kept quiet. Turning back to Palmer, Cloud took a deep breath.  
  
"You _really_ saw him?"   
  
"Would I lie to you at a time like this?" Palmer shot back; his eyes widened when he saw Barret raise his gimmick arm, and took a deep breath. "And I heard his voice too! Um…he was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land."  
  
"Then what?" Tifa spoke up, walking up to the Shinra exec. "Does that mean that the Promised Land really exists, and that Sephiroth's here to save it from Shinra?" Barret, Aerith, and Red walked up, Barret scratching his head in confusion.  
  
"So he's a good guy then?" he asked; Cloud shook his head, reaching out with his free hand to grab Palmer's collar just as the portly man tried to escape.  
  
"Save the Promised Land? A good guy? No way!!" Cloud replied. "It's not that simple! I know him! Sephiroth's mission is different!"  
  
"How can you be so sure?" Reilena whispered. Cloud glanced down at her, as did the rest of the group, and let go of Palmer's collar so that he could hold Reilena by the shoulders. He glared at the young woman before him - she appeared listless still - and spoke to her in a calm though furious voice.  
  
"There is something you know, Reilena Gainsborough, is there not?" he asked. No response; he sighed irritably. "You will tell us - if you don't, then you are the enemy, and not to be trusted."  
  
"How can you say that?!" Aerith shouted, tearing one of Cloud's hands off of her sister's shoulders. Cloud merely glanced over at Aerith, and allowed her to take Reilena back; the younger woman made no move to fight back, and Aerith glanced down at her with concern. "Look Rei, once we get out of here, I'll talk to you about this, alright? There's nothing to worry about…I promise," she whispered, running a hand through Reilena's hair. Cloud threw his arms up in the air.  
  
"If she knows more than she's saying, she had better talk soon," he argued. "I have reason to believe that she knows more about Sephiroth than she's willing to say…" before he could continue, a loud chopping noise echoed outside. Palmer snapped his head over to the window, and dashed outside before anyone could try to recapture him. Barret suddenly growled, slapping his hand to his forehead.  
  
"Rufus! Fuck! I forgot about him!" he grumbled. Tifa arched an eyebrow, glancing at Barret in confusion.  
  
"Who's that?" she asked. Barret shook his head, setting his gimmick arm as he started for the outside; the rest of the group followed him as he strode out, answering Tifa's question.  
  
"Vice President Rufus. He's the President's son," he replied, shoving the door to the roof. It didn't appear to be inhabited…there was no helicopter to be seen, no other people besides themselves…  
  
"So…So Sephiroth was actually here," a voice called out. The group spun around as a whole, looking up at the very top of the tower. Above them stood a man not much older than Cloud, with slicked back blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a confident smirk playing across his face. He leapt down from the tower, his white suit still immaculate, and folded his arms as he glanced over the ragtag group before him. "By the way…who are _you_ guys?" he asked, a superior air to his voice.  
  
"I'm Cloud, former SOLDIER First Class!" Cloud shot back.   
  
"I'm from AVALANCHE!" Barret growled.  
  
"Same here!" Tifa echoed.  
  
"…flower girls from the slums," Aerith replied quietly, gesturing between herself and Reilena.  
  
"…a research specimen," Red spoke up, shaking his mane irritably. The young man looked across them, chuckling to himself.  
  
"What a crew," he said sarcastically, running a hand through his hair before continuing. "Well, I'm Rufus. The President of Shinra, Inc."  
  
"You only President 'cause yer old man died!" Barret hollered, his gimmick arm ready. Rufus nodded, the smile still on his face.  
  
"That's right, and you know what? I'll let you hear my new appointment speech," he said, clearing his throat for show. "Old man tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working. The population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, get your pay. If a terrorist attacks, the Shinra army will help you. It looks perfect on the outside," Rufus paused, walking around the group, and took Tifa's hand; she snatched it back, and he laughed under his breath. "But, I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear" - he clenched a fist for emphasis - "for it takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them, after all," he finished with a confident shrug. Tifa rolled her eyes, sighing loudly.  
  
"He likes to make speeches, just like his father," she retorted. Barret nodded, the furious gleam still in his eyes, and started toward Barret; instead, Cloud set a hand on his forearm, and spoke in a low voice.  
  
"Get outta this building with Aerith and Reilena!" he ordered. Barret glared at him in shock.  
  
"What?" Cloud shook his head, motioning toward the office, keeping his glare on Rufus.  
  
"I'll explain later! This is the real crisis for the Planet!" Now Barret stared at Cloud, an eyebrow arched.  
  
"Now what the hell's that supposed to mean?"  
  
_"I'll tell you later!"_ Cloud growled. "Just take my word for it, now! I'll follow after I take care of him," he finished; across from them, Rufus sighed, brushing his nails on his suit coat. Barret glanced back at Tifa, Aerith, Red, and Reilena, and finally nodded to Cloud.  
  
"Awright, Cloud! Good luck." Turning on his heel, Barret led the team off of the roof of the Shinra building; they remained silent until they reached the 69th floor. Aerith suddenly stopped in her tracks, Reilena right beside her, and glanced back toward the President's office.  
  
"Cloud…I just thought of something," she said, turning back to the office. Tifa shook her head, grabbing Aerith's arm, and pointed toward the elevator; Red, Barret, and Reilena were waiting for them, and Barret held the door open.  
  
"I'll wait for Cloud," Tifa said. "You go get to the elevator and get to the first floor!" Aerith glanced at Tifa - Tifa stared back at her, determined - and nodded, taking her arm back, and ran to the elevator. Barret inched over, allowing Aerith inside, and pressed the button for the first floor. Once the car was in motion, he let out a tired sigh.  
  
"This is turnin' out to be one excitin' day," he muttered. Red and Reilena nodded, while Aerith glanced down at her wrists.  
  
"It's going to get pretty ugly from here on out though," she thought aloud. Glancing at the rest of the group, she continued, "We should check on our equipment, be prepared for anything to happen."  
  
"Of course," Red spoke up. Aerith nodded curtly as the rest of the crew checked themselves, arming their weapons and making sure that they were adequately protected. "Now that we're set, maybe we should make a plan of action once we reach the first floor," Red continued.  
  
"He's right. What are we going to do…" Reilena began; the elevator car shook just then, and a massive screech assaulted their ears. Looking up above them, Aerith, Barret, Reilena, and Red XIII spied a mechanical creature ripping the top from the elevator.  
  
"The hell?" Barret aimed his gun-arm at the creature, shooting it off the roof. The creature screamed, leaping to another car across from theirs, and shot out the glass walls. Barret growled angrily, aiming readily at the creature; Red braced himself to attack, whilst Aerith and Reilena drew their own weapons. "This what you was talkin' about, Aerith?" Barret yelled. "'Cause this is one big goddamned ugly thing!"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Why do you want to fight me?" Rufus asked calmly, standing before Cloud. Cloud narrowed his eyes, bracing himself.   
  
"You seek the Promised Land and Sephiroth," he replied, tense. Rufus tapped his chin thoughtfully.  
  
"Hm, exactly," he replied, snapping his fingers; a moment later, Rufus pointed at Cloud, an eyebrow raised as he took a step toward him. "Did you know that Sephiroth is an Ancient?" Rufus asked, smiling at the look of confusion that crossed Cloud's face.  
  
_What? Sephiroth is one of them?!_ Cloud thought. He shook his head and glared back up at the self-confident President. "A lot has happened," he began, reaching back for the Hardedge. "Anyway, I can't let either you _or_ Sephiroth have the Promised Land." He drew his blade, weilding it before himself readily. Rufus took on a sad façade, tilting his head as he snapped his fingers. A large black dog strode up beside Rufus, growling fiercely at the ex-SOLDIER before them.   
  
"I see," he said, raising a hand toward Cloud. "I guess this means we won't become friends." Dropping his hand in a flash, Rufus stepped back as Dark Nation attacked; the dog leapt at Cloud, snapping at the young man's throat. Cloud slapped the dog back with the brunt of his blade, sending it sliding across the concrete ground. Rufus looked down at the animal and glared back up at Cloud.   
  
"Sending your dog after me, Rufus? You're much too similar to your old man," Cloud taunted. Rufus growled, his eyes narrowed, as he pulled out a long, thin metallic switch. An eyebrow raised, Cloud stayed on his guard, and barely dodged the shot of Bolt that Rufus shot at him. Cloud regripped his sword and took a running start at Rufus; just before he swung his blade, he turned to Dark Nation and sliced downward, taking out the ebony dog instead. Rufus stared down at the dead creature, and turned his gaze back up to Cloud; the mercenary sheathed his sword, hands outstretched toward the new Shinra President, and Rufus stumbled toward the edge of the roof, gripping his electrocuted arm.   
  
"How _dare_ you…," Rufus snarled. Cloud smirked, taking out his sword again.  
  
"All in a day's work, _sir_," he shot back, slicing Hardedge in the air. Rufus barely sidestepped the attack and whacked Cloud across the shoulders with the switch. His teeth clenched, Cloud turned on his heel and raised his sword in the air.   
  
Above the two men, the Shinra helicopter flew overhead; seconds later, a rope ladder dropped down, and Palmer's pudgy face appeared. "Mr. President! Grab ahold!" Rufus glanced up, taking a ladder rung in hand, and smiled to Cloud.  
  
"Heh…that's all for today," he said, waving calmly. The helicopter rose into the air as Rufus climbed up, and Cloud growled, replacing his sword.  
  
"Goddamn bastard." He watched the helicopter fly away, and then strode back into the President's office, ignoring the body of the former President. Silent, Cloud walked back down the stairs, toward the elevators, and spied Tifa standing in the corridor. She ran up to him, glancing over Cloud closely.  
  
"Where's Rufus?" she asked. Cloud shook his head, pressing an elevator button.  
  
"I couldn't finish 'em." An elevator let out a pleasant _ding_, and Cloud stood aside, allowing Tifa to step in first. She pressed the button for the first floor after Cloud entered, and leaned against the wall. Irritated, Cloud leaned a forearm against the outside wall, watching the skyline disappear, and sighed. "Looks like this is going to get complicated…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Well, here we are," Reilena muttered, one dagger in hand. Barret snorted, striding out of the destroyed elevator, and headed for the building exit.  
  
"I'll go on ahead…" he began; just before he could leave, Barret spied a large group of Shinra soldiers stationed outside, and turned back, punching his gun-arm into his hand. "Shit…surrounded, huh?" He glanced over the group, muttering to himself. "If I was alone this wouldn't be a thang, but I gotta reputation to protect." He went to motion for everyone to remain in place, when both Aerith and Reilena shook their heads.  
  
"You all get out of here while you can," Aerith murmured, glancing up at the shocked looks on Barret and Red's faces. "It's not you they're after…it's us," she said, gesturing at herself and Reilena. Shaking his head, Barret strode up to the Gainsboroughs, and looked down at them solemnly.  
  
"Yeah, well that ain't happenin'," he stated. "You got caught up in this over Marlene" - he turned to Reilena - "and you got caught up in it 'cause you're a friend of Tifa's and Aerith's sister." He faced both sisters. "Now, it's my turn to watch out for you!" Barret then turned on his heel and shook his gun-arm at the soldiers outside. "Ok, playtime's over for you jackasses…"   
  
"…thank you, Mr. Barret," Aerith replied. Barret glanced over his shoulder, chuckling.  
  
"Who you callin' Mr. Barret? That don't sound right!"   
  
"Then thank you, Barret," Reilena said. Barret grinned, giving a mock salute; nearby, Red XIII sighed.  
  
"Well then…if you are through talking, may I suggest that we think of a way to get out of here?" he asked, motioning toward the Shinra soldiers outside.   
  
"Huh?" One glance out the window showed that the soldiers were still outside, and Barret nodded. "Oh, oh yeah…you a cold man, Red," he said, looking down at the scarlet creature. "Just like someone else 'round here I know," he added under his breath. Red glanced up at the AVALANCHE leader, his head tilted curiously.  
  
"Did you say something?" Barret shook his head.  
  
"Notta thing." Stepping out of the window's view, Aerith, Barret, Red, and Reilena regrouped near a corner of the room. Huddling close, Barret looked between everyone with a sigh. "So, what're we gonna do?" he asked. Red shook his head; Aerith shrugged; Reilena began to say something, but shook her head, and Barret blew out a tense breath. "This ain't helpin' matters…"  
  
_"Guys! Over here!"_ Startled, the group looked back to see Tifa waing madly. "Cloud and I found a way outta here! Hurry up and get over here!" she yelled, and dashed into what looked to be a garage of sorts. Barret, Aerith, Reilena, and Red glanced about themselves; a second later, Barret led the way to the door that Tifa had gone through, and promptly whistled.  
  
"Nice work," he commented, jumping into the back of a pickup truck with the Shinra logo emblazoned on the side. Red quickly leapt in along with Barret, and Reilena, Tifa and Aerith climbed into the cab, Tifa taking the driver's seat. Aerith raised an eyebrow, glancing over at the female AVALANCHE.  
  
"Where's Cloud at?" she asked. Tifa chuckled, nodding to their right; Cloud pulled up alongside the truck as Tifa started the ignition, revving up the engine of the motorcycle he'd found in the back of the garage. He motioned for Aerith to roll down the window; when she did, he leaned forward, speaking above the motorcycle engine.  
  
"You guys follow me," he ordered. "I'll head out in front of you, and let you get ahead of me once we're out on the road."   
  
"Are you sure about this?" Tifa yelled back. Cloud nodded.  
  
"Trust me on this! I'm going to keep Shinra's goons off of your back while you guys get the hell outta here," he replied. Tifa's tension never left, but she shrugged a shoulder as the truck engine roared to life, and rolled down her window to yell back to Barret and Red.  
  
"Hang on guys! We're going out!"  
  
"We'll be fine!" Barret hollered; Red nodded in agreement. Tifa rolled up her window, placed her hands on the wheel, and smiled.  
  
"Girls, hang on to your seats," she murmured, putting the car into gear, and floored the gas just after Cloud left the garage.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Where the hell are the fugitives at?" the SOLDIER commander shouted. In front of him, his comrades shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads.  
  
"No idea, sir. We assume that they were able to escape with the ruckus Sephiroth caused…" one began. Before he could continue, the regime ducked down as a whole. The commander raised an eyebrow, peering over his shoulder; his eyes widened as he saw a motorcycle speeding through Shinra Inc.'s lobby, and hit the cement. Not a second later, the motorcycle smashed through the glass doors and over their heads, closely followed by a familiar Shinra pickup truck. The vehicles sped down the street, and the commander growled.  
  
"MEN! TO YOUR FEET!" he screamed, pointing at the motorcycle and truck. "FOLLOW THEM! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" Quickly, the SOLDIERs dashed over to their Shinra-issued motorcycles; seconds later a horde of red and orange motorbikes were hot on the trail of their targets.  
  
"Heads up, Cloud!" Barret yelled. "You've got company!" Cloud shook his head, driving his motorcycle with one hand as he quickly unsheathed Hardedge.   
  
"You tell Tifa to keep her eyes on the road ahead. I'll get these guys out of the way," Cloud ordered. Barret nodded, leaning back toward the truck's cab; in seconds, Shinra motorcycles came speeding up alongside Cloud in nearly every direction. He clenched his teeth, gripping his sword tightly as he sped toward their enemies.  
  
It was easy to knock the orange coloured bikes out of transmission; either they were lousy bikers, or beginner SOLDIERs. Either way, Cloud had no problem getting them out of the way. It was the red coloured bikes that gave him a problem; no matter what he did, another one swerved up to the truck and rammed it. Growling, Cloud sliced Hardedge through the air, cutting a swath through the streets as he defended the truck as best he could.  
  
"Tifa, watch out!" Aerith cried, gripping the dashboard tightly. Tifa snarled ferally, turning the wheel away from the railing as yet another scarlet motorcycle tried to ram her off the street.  
  
"Fucking bastards," she growled. Beside her, Reilena twisted in her seat, watching for incoming riders through the cab window.   
  
"Cloud's trying to hold them off as best he can," Reilena reported. Tifa snorted.  
  
"He's doing what he can. I have to get us out of here though," she replied, ramming into a pair of bikes. They spun out of control, eventually slamming into the guardrail, and Tifa whooped happily. Glancing to her left, Reilena saw the tense way Aerith was gripping the dashboard, and shook her head, turning back to the bikers.  
  
"Tifa, it's not going to happen," Reilena suddenly said calmly. Tifa glanced over at her friend, irritated.  
  
"What's not going to happen?"  
  
"We're not getting out of here without a fight," she said.   
  
"What?" Out of nowhere, a horde of scarlet bikes came hurtling toward the truck. Tifa tried to outdrive them, but with no luck; three bikes rammed into the truck simultaneously, throwing it off-course. Tifa spun the steering wheel wildly, trying to keep the vehicle on its tires, but Reilena saw both Barret and Red leap out of the truck's bed just before the truck was flipped onto its right side.   
  
_"Aiiiiieeeee!"_ Aerith screamed for the three women as they slammed into the concrete. Once the truck stopped moving, Tifa let out a short breath and tore her seat belt off, kicking out with her left leg; the door flew off its hinges, and she climbed out, sticking a hand in to help the Gainsborough sisters out. Reilena held her head with one hand as she was pulled out; Aerith however, had a scraped up, bleeding right shoulder, but seemed to be alright despite her injury.  
  
"What the hell happened there?" Barret said as he and Red rejoined the group. Tifa, Reilena, and Aerith shook their heads in unison; suddenly Cloud ran up to them, gripping his sword defensively.  
  
"Get ready," he said solemnly. "Shinra's bringing out the big guns." Without argument, the rest of the party pulled out their weapons as an enormous tank careened toward them. Aptly named the Motor Ball, the machine halted just before the six-man party and pointed its guns; fire poured out, striking each person. Aerith was the first to regain her footing; without a word, she let go of her Striking Stick as she uttered a low chant. A surreal green glow came over the party, and the burns vanished, the Healing Wind having run its course.  
  
"I say we give it all we've got," Barret growled, setting his Gaitling Gun. Beside him, Red snarled.  
  
"I agree." Nearby, Tifa and Reilena glanced at each other, nodding simultaneously as Cloud leapt ahead, using his Cross-Slash to temporarily immobilize the mechanical giant.  
  
"Then go!" he yelled. Barret attacked first, unleashing the Big Shot. Keeping up with the constant attack, Red hurtled into the gargantuan creation using his Sled Fang Limit Break.   
  
"Now it's _my_ turn to play," Tifa announced as Red returned to their ranks. She leapt toward the Motor Ball, beating it as best she could with her plated gloves, and ended it with a flip kick to the machine's controls. Jumping back to rank, she motioned for Reilena to follow suit; the younger Gainsborough, held her knives before herself in a seemingly submissive fashion, all the while the blades glowing with a golden light. A second later, she sliced the blades down to the ground as she dropped to a knee, casting Bolt on the machine instead of using a Limit Break. It faltered in place, having snapped out of its paralysis just in time to feel the sting of the Bolt spell, and turned to face the party.  
  
"Duck," Aerith murmured. Cloud and Reilena were closest to her, and heeded her warning just as the Motor Ball took out its fury on them with Rolling Fire.  
  
"Damn! Does this thing do anything other than burn us?" Barret hollered, shaking off his burned arms. Aerith nodded once, and pointed her weapon at the creation. The Striking Stick took on a gold sheen similar to Reilena's daggers, and Bolt once again rained down upon the Motor Ball. Instead of firing back, smoke began issuing out from the machine's hinges, and it crashed to the ground, causing everyone to leap back.  
  
"Is that it?" Tifa muttered. She walked forward hesitantly, and kicked at the machine; it made no move to attack, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Well that's the end of that."  
  
"But now what?" Barret asked. "We escaped from the Shinra, but we're at the end of the road." He looked over at Cloud, who had joined Tifa and himself. "What do we do now?" Cloud shook his head, bowing his head.  
  
"Sephiroth is alive," he murmured, planting a hand across his chest. "I…I have to settle the score."   
  
"And that'll save the Planet?" Barret shot back, folding his arms. Glancing up, Cloud nodded.  
  
"…Seems like it." A smile made its way across Barret's face, and he punched his gun-arm into his palm.  
  
"Awright! I'm going!" Cloud glanced over at Tifa, who nodded in agreement, and then turned to face the Gainsborough sisters and Red. The trio walked up to Cloud, Barret, and Tifa quietly, Aerith coming up alongside Cloud.  
  
"We're going too," she added, gesturing between herself and Reilena. "I…we have things we want to find out." Cloud nodded, shooting Reilena a tense look; Reilena dropped her eyes to the ground, and he looked back at Aerith.  
  
"About the Ancients, I take it?" Aerith began to nod, and then stopped herself, turning her face to the sky.  
  
"…Many things," she said. Beside her, Tifa sighed.  
  
"I guess this's goodbye, Midgar," she muttered, taking ahold of the rope that would lead them outside of the city's walls. Barret chuckled, climbing down the rope after Tifa. Red leapt nimbly down the wall, landing on his feet; Cloud, Aerith, and Reilena followed in climbing down the rope, regrouping at the base.   
  
The land seemed to stretch out for miles and miles. Cloud peered across the plains, his eyes narrowed just slightly. _I know you're out there somewhere, Sephiroth, and I WILL find you._ Turning back to the party, he waved an arm onward. "Let's go!"  
  
"Wait just a minute there, Cloud!" Barret held his hand up, shaking his head. "We need a group leader for our journey here," he stated matter-of-factly. "'Course only me could be the leader…"  
  
"You honestly think so?" Tifa shot back, folding her arms. Barret glared over at her.  
  
"You know it, too!" he argued. Tifa blew a strand of hair from her eyes, about to continue the argument; Aerith stepped between them, shaking her head.  
  
"We all know it would have to be Cloud," she replied. Silent, the group looked over to Cloud; he shrugged nonchalantly, and Barret rolled his eyes, sighing irritably.  
  
"Shit…awright then. 'Least let me give you directions to the nearest town," he muttered, striding up to Cloud. He pointed ahead, leaning toward the younger man. "Now listen up. Go northeast to a town called Kalm. If somethin' happens, we meet up there. 'Sides" - he paused, looking over the rest of their group - "we can't have six people strolling down the fields. It's too dangerous, so split us into two separate parties."  
  
"Alright then." Cloud glanced over the party members; he knew for sure that Tifa would have to accompany him, but the question was who else should he allow to come with him? Red seemed able enough, as did Aerith; Barret was hotheaded, but a good fighter; as for Reilena, she seemed skilled enough in battle, but Cloud was still unsure of whether he could trust her or not, nevermind the fact that the Gainsboroughs seemed better off in the same party. Tapping a finger on his chin in thought, Cloud finally decided. "Tifa, Barret…come with me."  
  
"Awright then," Barret said, walking up to Cloud's side. Tifa smiled lightly, following suit, and Cloud turned to Red, Aerith, and Reilena.  
  
"You know the way to Kalm?" he asked. Aerith and Reilena shook their heads; Red nodded.  
  
"I've been around there before. I'll lead the ladies there," he replied. Cloud bowed his head.  
  
"Thank you, Red. We'll regroup at Kalm," Cloud said. Aerith and Reilena nodded in agreement; Tifa turned on her heel, impatient.  
  
"Let's go, Cloud," she insisted; Cloud peered over his shoulder to see that Barret had already began walking off, and motioned for her to follow. Turning back, he raised his hand in a slight wave; Red nodded as Aerith waved in return, and turned to follow the remaining AVALANCHE members.


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Cloud, Sephiroth, & co. are copyright SquareEnix Co. Reilena is copyright Vinja Ryou.

* * *

"So…" Aerith trailed off, keeping up the steady pace alongside Reilena and Red XIII, "where _did_ you get your new pendant there?"  
  
"Huh?" Reilena glanced down, fingering the necklace. "Oh, this? I uh…found it…in the cell."  
  
"Utter nonsense," Red whuffed, stopping to scratch his shoulder; all the while, he kept a close eye on Reilena. "I've lived in those laboratories for several years, and they keep the prisons immaculate." Sitting tall on his haunches, Red eyed both girls; Aerith also watched her sister. "So why don't you tell us where you _really_ got the pendant?"  
  
"Yes, please," Aerith pleaded. "Since Cloud isn't around, it might be easier for you to talk to us freely." She laid a gentle hand on Reilena's shoulder, arching an eyebrow at her sister's trembling. "Rei…"  
  
"I got it from the same person who gave me the silver Materia." Aerith gaped at Reilena while Red stared at both women in confusion; Reilena laughed under her breath. "Cloud was partly right in his accusations…but I honestly don't know what happened after he left, I swear," she finished, looking up at her older sister guiltily. "I really don't."  
  
"You mean to tell me that he came into our cell, spoke to you, gave you the pendant, and left you with the keys!?" Aerith cried, having finally found her voice. Reilena nodded, causing Aerith to throw her arms up in the air. Between them, Red cleared his throat, catching the Gainsboroughs' attention. Once both women looked down at him, he shook his mane while uttering what almost sounded like a sarcastic laugh.  
  
"So Reilena," he began, looking up at the younger of the two girls, "what you're telling us is that you know our common enemy…"  
  
"More than that, and please don't call him _our_ enemy." Reilena's shoulders fell with her heavy sigh. "Look, it's a long story…"  
  
"Which you can share with everyone else when we meet up with them in Kalm," Aerith finished, pushing on. Woman and beast looked over at Aerith, startled; she pointed ahead. "The town is just over the hill; if we hurry, we can make it there before nightfall." She walked on ahead, leaving Red and Reilena to shrug and follow, albeit in silence.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"There they are!" Tifa called, beckoning Barret over to the town entrance. He strode over, raising an eyebrow at Aerith, Red, and Reilena. The girls waved, while Red shook his mane out in greeting, and Barret folded his arms, nodding toward the building just inside the town entrance.  
  
"Cloud's got the rooms reserved already," Barret said simply, looking over at Tifa as he turned and headed inside. Tifa glanced over at the Gainsboroughs and Red with a nervous shrug, standing aside so that they could walk by.  
  
"You guys are late. C'mon…Cloud's been grumbling about it ever since we got here," Tifa explained, grabbing Reilena's hand as she led the trio into the inn. Reilena shot a look over her shoulder at Aerith; her sister followed along, a worried sheen in her eyes, whilst Red kept at their heels, trotting up the stairs ahead of them as the women shuffled into the inn, up the stairs, and into the lone open room. Cloud stood, leaning against the wall with his arms folded, and looked up at Reilena with a solemn gaze, nodding to Tifa, Aerith, and Red as they sat down on the beds.  
  
"You're late." It was aimed at Reilena, and she shrugged helplessly; Cloud motioned for her to join the others seated on the bed, and Tifa coughed.  
  
"Well uh…everyone's here now, right?" she asked, laughing nervously. Barret nodded and stood, eyeing Cloud calmly.  
  
"So let's hear your story," he said; when Cloud glanced at him strangely, Barret shrugged once. "You know, the one about Sephiroth and the crisis facing the planet…let's hear it all."  
  
"…" Cloud sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair as he walked over to the lone window in the room. After looking out for a moment, he clasped his hands behind his back, ready to begin. "I used to want to be like Sephiroth, so I joined SOLDIER. After working with him on several missions, we became friends."  
  
"You call that a friend?" Barret snorted. Cloud glanced over, shrugging a shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, well uh…he's older than me, and didn't really talk much about himself…" Tifa sat in silence, watching her friend, and Cloud rubbed his neck. "So I guess…I guess you could call him a war buddy, if anything else. I mean, we trusted each other…at least until one day."  
  
"One day?" Aerith asked, curious. Cloud nodded.  
  
"After the war, it was the SOLDIERS' duty to put down any resistance against Shinra," he explained. "That itself was five years ago," he stopped when he saw an air of recognition across the Gainsborough sisters' faces, "when I was sixteen years old…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
… "It's sure raining hard," Cloud murmured, the twinge of excitement still evident in his voice. Looking over to his left, he saw a companion SOLDIER. "Hey, how are you doing?"  
  
"Me? I'm alright," the SOLDIER replied, a small bucket clenched firmly in his left hand. Cloud glanced down at the bucket and shrugged.  
  
"You sure? I mean, I've never had motion sickness, ever." Cloud turned to another SOLDIER, this one watching the rain fall on the large window in the rear of their car. "Hey, how are you doing? Everything okay?"  
  
"Hey." Startled, Cloud turned to the source of the voice; the man flicked a strand of his long, silver hair away from his eyes and motioned toward a crate nearby. "Settle down." Cloud's eyes widened, and he walked over to the box, but didn't sit down.  
  
"I'm sorry…but they gave me some new Materia back at headquarters, and I can't wait to use it," he said excitedly. The older man shook his head.  
  
"…just like a little kid," he muttered under his breath. Ignoring him, Cloud turned to the leader, eyes wide.  
  
"So, are you going to brief us on the mission?" The man shrugged.  
  
"This isn't a typical mission." Glancing up, he saw Cloud grinning widely, and arched an eyebrow. "Why are you so happy about that?" Realizing that he'd been seen, Cloud looked over at the man and shrugged, albeit shyly.  
  
"Huh? Oh! Well uh…because I joined SOLDIER so I could be like you!" Just as he leapt up though, Cloud's shoulders sagged. "But by the time I reached the First Class, the war was already over, and my hopes of becoming a hero like you ended with the fighting. That's why I always sign up when there's a big mission," he continued, the excited tone creeping back into his voice. "Kind of a way to prove myself, I guess you could say…by the way, how do you feel, _Mister_ Sephiroth?"  
  
Sephiroth shook his head. "…I thought you wanted a briefing?" he asked in return; Cloud nodded quickly and stood at attention, ready to listen to his commander. Straightening up, Sephiroth ran a hand through his hair. "Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. Monsters have been sighted nearby, and the recent rumours have stated that the reactor's malfunctioning is to blame. We hunt down the creatures, then find the problem and neutralize it, so as to prevent anything else from happening."  
  
"Monsters…creatures…" Cloud mused. "Where is this at?"  
  
"The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim," Sephiroth replied; a gleam of recognition shot across Cloud's face.  
  
"Nibelheim!?" Sephiroth nodded. "That's where I'm from!" Cloud finished. He looked down to see a quiet look overcome Sephiroth's face as the older man gazed toward the window.  
  
"Hmmm…hometown…" he muttered to himself. Curious, Cloud was about to ask his commander exactly what was on his mind when their car was jolted almost out of its tracks. Cloud stumbled, trying to keep his footing along with his comrades, and Sephiroth stood up calmly, standing tall amidst the chaos. Over a small radio system, a scared voice crackled.  
  
"S - Sir! Something's just crashed into our truck!" Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, his right hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. Nearby, the three young SOLDIERs prepared to take out their own weapons, all the while watching Sephiroth closely.  
  
"There's our Monster," he said in a low voice…  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Sephiroth killed the creature in a single slash, while I practically stood in shock," Cloud said, massaging his forehead. "His strength is unreal…after seeing him in combat myself, I can honestly say that Sephiroth is far stronger in reality than in any stories you may have heard about him."  
  
"So where did you come in?" Aerith asked, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. She looked up at Cloud, listening closely to his every word. Cloud shook his head, looking over the rest of the group; Barret stood in silence as Tifa, Aerith, and Reilena sat side by side, with Red lying at their feet.   
  
"Me?" Cloud laughed under his breath. "I was mesmerized by the way Sephiroth fought." Tifa stayed quiet, and Cloud continued. "And then we finally made it into Nibelheim…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"So how does it feel?" Sephiroth asked, peering over his shoulder at Cloud; the younger man's eyes were wide as he looked around his hometown, and Sephiroth shook his head with a low chuckle. "It's your first time back in your real hometown right, so how does it feel?" His voice dropped as he turned to Cloud, a saddened visage on his face for a fleeting second. "I wouldn't know, since I have no hometown of my own…"  
  
"But what about your parents?" Cloud asked. Sephiroth shook his head.  
  
"My mother is Jenova…but she died after she gave birth to me. My father…" he flicked his hair from his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "What does it matter, anyhow?" Sephiroth turned to the rest of the SOLDIERs and waved toward the town's entrance. "All right, let's go…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Yo, wait a damned minute there!" Barret suddenly shouted, knocking Cloud of his memories. Once he was sure he had Cloud's attention, he continued. "Isn't that uh…the name of Sephiroth's mother…" he snapped his fingers as he thought. "I remember that! It's the name of that damn headless spook livin' in the Shinra building."  
  
"That's right," Cloud answered. Before Barret could speak, Tifa rolled her eyes, turning to her comrade.  
  
"Barret, would you please let us hear what Cloud has to say?" she asked in a clipped tone. "You can ask questions later." Barret held his hands up defensively, having seen the irate sheen in Tifa's eyes.   
  
"Tifa, I was only…" He stopped when Tifa cracked a knuckle unconsciously; satisfied, she turned back to Cloud with a forced smile.  
  
"Okay Cloud, go on." Suddenly Aerith grinned, looking between Tifa and Cloud as the realization sank in.  
  
"It's a reunion of pals!" she cried; beside her, Reilena nodded.  
  
"Weren't you and Cloud discussing this at the Seventh Heaven?" Agitated, Tifa glared over at Cloud; he cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention, and continued.  
  
"I was really surprised with Tifa…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Wow…the town's really quiet," Cloud pondered, looking out across Nibelheim. Besides himself, Sephiroth, and the SOLDIERs, the only living creature in the town square was an old dog lying in the shade of the fountain. Concerned, he looked up at Sephiroth. "Everyone must be staying inside because of the monsters…or are they afraid of us…?"  
  
"We leave for the reactor at dawn," Sephiroth ordered, ignoring the younger man's words as he turned toward the inn, waving a hand out nonchalantly. "We only need one lookout, so the rest of you turn in early to get some rest. Oh and one more thing," he continued, stopping at the door to the inn. "You may go visit family and friends if you'd like." With that said, Sephiroth strode into the inn, leaving the SOLDIERs outside. Most of the others walked off toward townhouses, eager to see their family; Cloud opted to follow Sephiroth into the inn.  
  
The lobby was empty, save for the manager at the front desk. Cloud walked over to the desk, ringing the small handbell to get the manager's attention. "Excuse me, but did you see…"  
  
"He just walked upstairs," the man replied.   
  
"Thank you." Cloud walked up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and stopped at the top. Sephiroth stood at a window, gazing out silently. His hands were clasped loosely behind his back, and Cloud could've sworn there was a faraway look in the older man's eyes. Careful not to disturb him, Cloud walked up beside Sephiroth, trying to see what he saw. "Uh…what're you lookin' at out there?"  
  
"The scenery," Sephiroth murmured. "I feel almost as if I know this place…from somewhere…" He sighed, shaking his head, and turned to Cloud. "We have an early start tomorrow. You should turn in for the night if you're not going to visit anyone." Without waiting for an answer, Sephiroth strode into the room, still talking. "I've hired a guide to the Mako Reactor. She's young…but I hope we can rely on her…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"And you'll never guess who that guide was," Tifa interjected, rolling her eyes dramatically. Beside her, Reilena laughed, leaning her head on her friend's shoulder. Once the two girls were quiet, Cloud continued.  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Once the guide gets here, we're heading out," Sephiroth ordered; he folded his arms, waiting silently outside the Shinra Inc Mansion. Nearby, a mustachioed man continued speaking in a timid tone, wringing a hat in his hands.  
  
"Now please listen to me Sephiroth," he said. "If anything should happen up there…" Sephiroth held a hand up, his eyes closed.  
  
"Trust me." Footsteps behind the man; a young girl in a red beret and jumper with a white t-shirt underneath, ran up to the group, rolling her eyes at the man.  
  
"Da-ad! I'll be fine!" she replied. "Look, I have two men from SOLDIER accompanying me. Nothing will happen!" With that, she turned to Sephiroth and stuck out her hand. "Hi there. I'm Tifa," she said cheerfully; Sephiroth looked down at her hand, nodding instead, and turned on his heel, allowing Cloud to finally catch sight of the young girl. Shocked, he ran up to Tifa.  
  
"Tifa!? You're the guide?" he asked. Tifa nodded, giggling.  
  
"Yup! I'm the number one guide 'round here, remember?" she teased. Cloud shook his head, glancing up at Mr. Lockehart.  
  
"It's too dangerous…I can't involve you in something like this!" Cloud insisted.  
  
"Then there's no problem if you protect her," Sephiroth interrupted; Cloud and Tifa both turned to the stoic man; he merely walked on beyond the mansion. "Let's go." Glancing between each other, Cloud finally sighed, following his leader, and Tifa jogged beside him.   
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Tifa brought us up Mount Nibel," Cloud said, sitting down on a small stool in the center of the inn room. "While Tifa was trying to explain something to us though, the old rope bridge connecting the mountains snapped, and we fell down to the entrance of the caves of Mt. Nibel."  
  
"There was a man missing…Sephiroth said to just leave him behind, that there was no time to search for him," Tifa added in a quiet voice. "Inside the cave, Cloud commented on the cave's interior…all the colours…Sephiroth explained how it was the Mako energy, how that was the reason why the reactor was built in the mountains."  
  
"And then we found the Mako fountain," Cloud mused…  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"It's a miracle of nature," Sephiroth said in a quiet voice, gazing at the Mako. Across from him, Cloud and Tifa watched the colourful spouts as well, transfixed.  
  
"It's so beautiful," Tifa whispered. "But if the Mako Reactor continues to suck up the energy here, then this fountain will dry up…"  
  
"Materia." Sephiroth plucked a green-coloured stone out of his pocket and tossed it up in the air nonchalantly. "When you condense Mako energy, Materia is produced. You two should consider yourselves lucky, as it is very rare to see Materia in its natural state."  
  
"By the way," Cloud said, breaking the silence he'd had, "why is it when you use Materia, you can use magic as well?" Sephiroth caught the Materia stone and placed it back in his pocket, all the while keeping an astonished look on Cloud, one eyebrow raised.  
  
"You were in SOLDIER and didn't even know that?" he asked; Cloud nodded feebly, and Sephiroth laughed under his breath. "Guess I should explain it to you…the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held within the Materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the Land and the Planet," he explained; Cloud nodded, mystified. "That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the Planet calling up magic…or so they say…" Sephiroth trailed off, eyeing Cloud silently; the younger boy still had a wondrous sheen in his eyes, while Tifa gazed at the Materia fountain still.  
  
"Magic…what a mysterious power," Cloud whispered. To his amazement, Sephiroth laughed. "What…did I say something funny?" Sephiroth shook his head, silencing his laughter.  
  
"A man once told me never to use such an unscientific term as 'mysterious power,'" Sephiroth said. "It shouldn't even be called 'magic.' I still remember how angry he was." Catching the confused glance from Cloud, Sephiroth shrugged. "Hojo of Shinra, Inc. An inexperienced man given the assignment of taking over the work of a great scientist. He's nothing more than a walking mass of complexes. Let's continue on," Sephiroth finished, motioning for Cloud to get Tifa's attention. The young girl blinked, nodding once, and led the men out of the cave, still murmuring to herself.  
  
"A Mako fountain…so that's…"  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"…where the knowledge of the Ancients is," Tifa finished, glancing over at Aerith and Reilena just as Cloud did the same. "I remember saying those exact words. Of course, when we reached the Mako Reactor, I was kept outside with a lowly Shinra guard. Couldn't even go inside the reactor…claimed 'Shinra's industrial secrets were inside,'" she mocked. "Like anyone's going to believe what a fifteen-year-old girl has to say."  
  
- - - - - -   
  
Reluctant, Cloud approached his leader quietly; Sephiroth stood in front of the huge door, solemn. He peered closely at a valve near the doors, and Cloud decided to speak up. "This…this is Jenova, right?" he asked meekly. Sephiroth ignored him. "The lock won't open, though."  
  
"This is the reason for the malfunction," Sephiroth muttered, turning to Cloud as he jabbed a finger at the area around the door. "This part is broken. Cloud, right?" Cloud nodded. "Close the valve."   
  
"Y-yes sir." The young recruit scurried over to the Jenova door, fastening the valve tightly. Sephiroth's brow furrowed, and he folded his arms, thinking aloud.  
  
"Why did it break…oh, now I see, Hojo." Raising an eyebrow, Cloud turned to see Sephiroth talking to himself in a clear yet frustrated voice. The older man shook his head, tucking a piece of hair behind an ear with a low laugh. "But even doing this will not put you on the same level as Professor Gast." Turning toward the stairs, Sephiroth noticed the confused look in Cloud's eyes, and nodded toward the other containers in the room as he led Cloud down the stairs. Each capsule-like container had a port window in the door, and was locked tightly, with a low blue light illuminating the interior. "This is a system that takes Mako energy, freezes, and then condenses it…when it wants to work, that is. Now, do you remember what condensed Mako energy becomes?" He stopped on the level before the ground floor and strode over to a capsule, waiting for Cloud's reply.  
  
"Uh, ummmm…" The youth ran a nervous hand through his spiked hair, snapping his fingers when it came to him. "Oh yeah! Condensed Mako energy becomes a Materia!" Sephiroth bowed his head.  
  
"Correct…under normal circumstances." He gestured toward the mechanical capsule they stood before, and Cloud glanced at it with awe. "But Hojo's put something else in there…go on, take a look. Through the window," he added, pointing to the port window. Cloud nodded shakily and stood on his toes, peering into the capsule.   
  
A deteriorating head stared back at him, its eyeless sockets forever gaping. Cloud gasped, dropping back on his feet, and glanced over at Sephiroth; the SOLDIER General merely watched the thing inside the machine, emotionless. "What…what is that?"  
  
"Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Therefore making you different from other people, but yet still human. But what are they?" Sephiroth motioned toward the creature, peering down at Cloud with a questioning air. "_They've_ been exposed to a much higher degree of Mako than yourself."  
  
"Is this some kind of monster?" Sephiroth nodded.  
  
"Exactly. These monsters were created by Hojo of Shinra." He paused, walking down the corridor, his eyes narrowed even more as he thought to himself. "Mutated living organisms produced by Mako energy…that's what these monsters really are…" Sephiroth paused, turning to stare into another mechanical capsule. Cloud stayed by the one he'd peered into; he sensed a tense aura around Sephiroth, and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw his leader's hands curl into shaking fists.   
  
"Normal members of SOLDIER…does this mean you're different?" Cloud mused. His eyes widened, he glanced up, curious. "H-hey Sephiroth…!" He silenced himself upon catching sight of Sephiroth; the General seemed to be going mad, and he crept down the stairs to the main floor as silent as he could.   
  
_It's…it's impossible…it can't be…could it?_ Sephiroth stared at the eyeless, seemingly soulless creature floating in the Mako energy capsule, trembling with fury. "N-no…was I!?" he whispered, asked the thing inside the machine. "Was I!?!" Without warning, he quickly unsheathed the Masamune and slashed down at the container before him, slashed at the thing's protective case. Glaring up with narrowed emerald eyes, he slashed at the machine again, gritting his teeth to keep himself from screaming. "Was I created, too?!" Sephiroth gripped Masamune with both hands and charged down the aisle, slicing at the machine Cloud had just been standing by. He stared into the port window, his breathing laboured, and held the blade up to the window as he snarled at the thing inside. "Am I the same as these monsters!?"  
  
_I have to do something._ Cloud reached a hand out to the infuriated man, speaking in a quiet voice. "Sephiroth…"  
  
"You saw it," Sephiroth muttered, his shoulders heaving. He turned slowly on his heel, gripping Masamune in his right hand, and gestured at the capsule with his left. "All of them…were once humans…"  
  
"What!? Humans?" Cloud gasped. "No way!" Sephiroth laughed - a laugh that sounded almost as if it came from a wolf - and Cloud shuddered, afraid of his superior. Ignoring the SOLDIER, Sephiroth strode down the stairs, still speaking in a frighteningly calm voice.   
  
"…I've always felt that since I was a child…that I was different from the others. _Special_, even….I've only ever told one person this, about this difference," he whispered, slowly sheathing Masamune. A rattle slipped out from the silence, and Sephiroth shook his head. "But…_but not like this_!" he shouted, throwing his arm toward the source of the noise. A mechanical capsule in the fourth aisle suddenly burst open, the creature inside slinking out like a snake. Cloud's eyes widened in horror, and Sephiroth shook his head, slowly at first. "Not…like…this…" he murmured, watching the creature trying to breathe. It clawed at the air helplessly, its hands gripping nothing, and finally fell to the grated metal floor, letting out a tiny mewl; Cloud held a trembling hand to his mouth, terrified.  
  
A rustle; Cloud looked over his shoulder hesitantly just in time to see Sephiroth's silhouette in the doorway, striding angrily out of the chamber of horrors.  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"Damn!" Barret punched his fist into the wall, gnashing his teeth. "The more I hear about the Shinra, the more I hate their stinkin' guts!"  
  
"…who'd have ever thought that the Mako Reactor held a secret like that," Tifa whispered, shaking her head. "I mean, it's almost…Rei?" Beside her, Reilena stared at Cloud wide-eyed, tears marring her cheeks, her shoulders shaking even with Aerith's arm across them. "Rei, what's the matter?"  
  
_So she_ does _know something_, Red XIII thought, lifting his muzzle so as to see what was going on above him. Sneezing quietly, the scarlet beast instead glanced up at the infuriated Barret. "This would seem to explain the staggering increase in the monsters in this area," he said calmly. "I do believe we should listen carefully to Cloud…don't you agree, Barret?"  
  
"What're you talking to _me_ for?" Barret asked; turning his eyes to Cloud, he nodded. "Keep on talkin'."  
  
"No wonder she was acting so strangely," Aerith murmured to herself, rocking her sister gently. Reilena stayed silent, keeping her gaze on Cloud, and Aerith sighed; Reilena wasn't going to talk anytime soon. "So Tifa…you were still waiting outside, I take it?" Tifa nodded silently as she patted Reilena's knee.  
  
"…Yes. Yes, I was."  
  
"We returned to Nibelheim not long after," Cloud continued, breaking the silence in the room. "Sephiroth just confined himself at the inn, didn't talk to me, didn't even _try_ to."  
  
"Then all of a sudden he just disappeared, right?" Tifa asked; to her surprise both Cloud and Reilena nodded. Cloud raised an eyebrow at the younger Gainsborough's reaction, but kept his thoughts to himself.  
  
"We found him inside the biggest building in Nibelheim…you remember it Tifa, we all used to call it Shinra Mansion 'cause a long time ago, people from the Shinra used to live there…."  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"This can't be true…" Sephiroth murmured to himself, walking into the expansive library of the Shinra Mansion. He strode down to the end of the room and ripped a book down from the shelf, flipping through the pages and scanning the passages.   
  
_An organism that was apparently dead has been found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast has named this organism 'Jenova…'_ The passage delved into a diary-like account of the day's findings, and Sephiroth growled, throwing the book over his shoulder as he tore down another.   
  
_X day, X month, X year: the scientific findings of Professor Gast have drawn the conclusion that Jenova is indeed an Ancient._ His eyes widened, and Sephiroth flipped several pages ahead. A sting; he glanced down at a finger and noticed a swath of blood beginning to trail down his hand. Ignoring the injury, he continued reading_. X day, X month, X year: the Jenova Project has been approved by the superiors. Mako Reactor One has also been approved for use, and will begin functioning shortly_…Sephiroth shook his head, dropping the book, and stared at the cut on his hand, the blood on his fingers.   
  
"My mother's name is Jenova," he whispered. "The name of the experiment was the Jenova Project…" Sephiroth dropped to his knees, staring at the open book before him, and leaned an arm across the bookshelf, letting his blood drip onto the pages. His eyes grew damp, but Sephiroth paid them no mind, instead opting to let his tears fall onto the book as well. "Is this just a coincidence?" he murmured, voice shaking. "Professor Gast…why couldn't you have told me? Why did you have to die, to leave this all behind?"  
  
A door closed; Sephiroth glanced over, noting that Cloud must have left the library, and sighed, bowing his head so as to allow himself to cry freely. "All these questions…and no one, not one damned person can answer them. Not Professor Gast, not Hojo…" Sephiroth stopped, another thought crossing his mind. "How can I even go on without knowing my own past? I can't pass this on to anyone…I can't explain it to anyone, no one would be able to understand, to _comprehend_ or be able to take this…to burden anyone with this, especially her…my God…Reilena…who the hell am I!? _What_ the hell am I!?"  
  
Sephiroth bit down on his lip, bit until he tasted blood, and pounded his fist on the bookshelf, taking slow breaths so as to try and control his near-hysteria. Eventually, he was able to stand; he wiped his eyes with his clean hand, leaving the bloodied one alone, and grabbed as many books as he could carry off the shelves. Once loaded, Sephiroth walked down the aisle, to the study at the end of the room. He intended to learn as much as he could, to find out as much about himself - and Jenova - as he could.

Meanwhile...  
  
"Ugh…huh?" Cloud sat up from the bed, stretching his arms out above his head; a small cracking emanated from his shoulder blades, and he yawned. "Damn…must've fallen asleep up here," he muttered, swinging his legs over the bed. A glance out the window told him that it was nearing twilight, and he slapped his forehead. "I have to get back to the inn," he grumbled. "Might as well see if Sephiroth's still around - if he's back at the inn with the others, I'm in deep trouble for sure." Cloud blinked his eyes a few times to readjust to the dusk lighting, and jogged down the spiraling stairway into the basement.   
  
The light was still on in the library; Cloud's brow furrowed as he pushed the wooden door open, peering about. "Sephiroth…?" Laughter emanated from the back of the library, startling Cloud for a moment. He walked into the library, closing the door behind him, and made his way down the aisle to the study; a bright light was on inside, and Cloud could hear the laughter still. Was it coming from inside? "Sephiroth?"  
  
"Who is it?" Cloud jumped at the sound of Sephiroth's voice, and crept into the study timidly. Sephiroth sat behind a desk full of books; most were spread across the floor, opened to various passages, though a few opened and unopened volumes sat atop the desk. The chandelier above was lit entirely, and Sephiroth's eyes seemed to shine in the light. He rolled his eyes at Cloud, waving a hand in the air. "Hmph…you traitor," he muttered. Cloud raised an eyebrow. What was going on?  
  
"Traitor?" Sephiroth laughed, confusing Cloud further.  
  
"You ignorant traitor," he reiterated, strolling around the desk with an eerie calm. "I'll tell you. This was an itinerant race; they would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on," Sephiroth explained, gesturing about the study with his right hand; Cloud's brow furrowed when he saw blood on Sephiroth's hand, but remained silent. "At the end of their long, harsh journey, they would find the Promised Land, and supreme happiness. But," he stopped, holding a single finger in the air, "those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life." Sephiroth clenched a fist, his voice taking on a tense air. "They took that which the Cetra and planet had created, without giving one whit back in return! _Those_ are your ancestors," he finished, pointing a finger at Cloud, eyes narrowed. Confused, Cloud shook his head, hands in the air defensively even as he took a step toward the irate man.  
  
"Sephiroth…"  
  
"Long ago, disaster struck this planet," Sephiroth continued, ignoring the youth behind him, and threw his arms in the air. "Your ancestors escaped…and survived, because they hid. _The planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra_," he emphasized, shaking his head with a low chuckle. "And after that? Your ancestors continued to increase, to procreate and fill this planet…and of the Cetra? Heh…all that's left is in these reports, these papers." Sephiroth cast a hand across the desk, shoving the books and papers at Cloud angrily. The youth leapt back in shock and peered up at Sephiroth, still confused.  
  
"What does this have to do with you?"  
  
"What does this have to do with _me_!?" Sephiroth raked a hand through his bangs, laughing out loud. "Don't you _get_ it!? An Ancient named Jenova was found dead in the geological stratum of two millennia ago. And then…the Jenova Project. The Jenova Project aspired to produce people with the power of the Ancients…no, the Cetra!" Sephiroth stopped in the middle of the room, behind the desk, and turned to face Cloud, a chilling smile gracing his lips as he raised his hands in the air slowly. "I am the one that was produced."  
  
"P…_produced_?" Cloud squeaked. Sephiroth nodded, the smile never wavering.   
  
"Yes. Professor Gast - head of the Jenova Project and genius scientist - produced me." Suddenly, Sephiroth slapped a hand to his forehead, his brow furrowed as he uttered a low growl. Cloud shook his head, trying to shake off his fear, and ran over to Sephiroth's side, standing beside his leader.  
  
"How…how did he…Se…Sephiroth?" Cloud asked, his voice wavering between fear and curiosity. Sephiroth shook his head, ignoring the childish boy beside him; seconds later, he stood tall, shoving Cloud aside.  
  
"Out of my way," he ordered. "I'm going to see my mother."   
  
- - - - - -   
  
"I stood in that study for what felt like hours," Cloud murmured, holding his head in his hands. "When I finally came to my senses and left the mansion, the town was a complete inferno. Flames everywhere…the streets littered with wreckage, along with the bodies of the villagers. I remember helping out Zangan with one person who was clinging to life…checking inside houses to see if there was anyone, human or animal, alive in there, and finding no one…when I heard a scream…."  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"…why…" Sephiroth shook his head, emotionless, and lowered the Masamune, allowing the impaled man to slide off the blade and to the ground, dead. These people had known. They had known what he was, who he was, and had kept it from him, destroyed the world that should have rightfully been his. Glaring up across the town, he sheathed Masamune and turned on his heel, walking amidst the flames he'd set, heading for the Mako Reactor. He needed to see Jenova, needed to free her, help her retake their world.  
  
Cloud gasped, having seen Sephiroth's merciless slaughter, and ran past Zangan; Sephiroth had first gone mad at the Mako Reactor in Mount Nibel. _If he did this…if he destroyed the entire town…there's no telling what he'll do next!  
_  
"Cloud! Where're you going!" Zangan shouted.  
  
"I'm going to find Sephiroth! There's got to be a reason behind this!" he yelled back. Cloud reached over his shoulder, assuring himself that he did indeed have a weapon on himself should Sephiroth attack, and kept up his pace as he made his way through the exact pathways that Tifa had shown them just the previous day. What felt like hours later but were most likely mere minutes, Cloud came up to the Mako Reactor. The door was wide open; his worst fears were confirmed. "Sephiroth…" he whispered, walking carefully up the grate stairs, into the reactor.   
  
_"Dad!"_ Tifa's scream; what was she doing here!? Cloud leapt down the ladder to the bowels of the Reactor and froze upon the scene. Mr. Lockehart lay in a pool of his own blood, his throat and abdomen slashed. Tifa knelt at her father's head, cradling him in her arms; her shoulders heaved from her sobs, and beside her was the Masamune itself. Cloud shook his head, a hand on his forehead as he realized that Sephiroth had killed Tifa's father. Soundless, Cloud walked up to Tifa, listening to her as she whispered to her father. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he Daddy?" she murmured, rocking herself. "Sephiroth…the SOLDIERs…the Mako Reactor…Shinra…I hate them! _I hate them all_!" Tifa threw her head back and screamed, oblivious to Cloud standing just a few feet away, and then bowed her head just as quickly, taking the Masamune into her hand with quiet fury. "I'll get you for this…" she whispered. "I'll get Sephiroth for you, Daddy. You don't need to worry anymore." Tifa leaned down and kissed her dead father's forehead, and then stood up, gripping the longsword tightly as she ran into the reactor.  
  
"Tifa…" Cloud reached out with a hand, as if trying to hold his friend back; she didn't see him, and Cloud instead walked over to Mr. Lockehart's fallen form, kneeling beside the corpse. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," Cloud whispered, bowing his head; a moment later, he closed the dead man's eyes, rose to his feet, and walked into the reactor.  
  
Sephiroth stood at the head of the reactor, in front of the door marked 'Jenova.' He reached a hand toward the door, oblivious to Tifa and Cloud's presence. "Mother…I'm here. Please, open the door."  
  
"_How could you_!?" Tifa screamed; Sephiroth turned calmly, looking down at the young girl; she ran up the stairs, holding Masamune before her, still screaming. "How could you do that to Papa and the townspeople? _What did we ever do to you_!?"  
  
"What _didn't_ you do," Sephiroth muttered, standing tall as Tifa ran for him. Just before she could attempt to slash at him, Sephiroth reached for the blade. In one smooth motion he retook Masamune, flipped it in his hand, and slashed crosswise at Tifa, knocking her off balance. Tifa's eyes widened as she felt blood run down her torso, and fell backwards, crashing down the stairs.  
  
"Tifa!" Cloud ran up the stairs, catching Tifa in his arms. Her face was pale, her normally white shirt stained red, and Cloud blinked quickly, carrying her down the rest of the stairs. He set her down carefully at the base, and she opened her eyes, glancing up at him with a weak smile.  
  
"Cloud…you promised…promised that you would come when I was in trouble," Tifa whispered. Cloud nodded, shushing her gently, and stood. At the head of the stairs, Sephiroth had opened the door to Jenova and walked inside; Cloud took the stairs two at a time and followed the silver-haired man inside, remaining silent as he looked around the expansive specimen chamber. A huge tube across from the door held what looked to almost be a femalish thing inside, floating amidst wires and IVs. A metal plate on the glass read 'JENOVA;' it was this container that Sephiroth walked toward, his voice taking on a quiet, eerie innocence.  
  
"Mother." He reached up, touched the metal plating, and gazed at the thing's mask. "Let's take the planet back together…I've already come up with a plan. We'll head to the Promised Land," he whispered, glancing about the container for a way to open it.  
  
"Sephiroth…" Raising an eyebrow, Sephiroth turned, looking at the young Cloud with a curious air. Cloud clenched his teeth and fists, walking slowly but surely toward his former leader. "My family…my hometown…my friends…how could you do this?" Sephiroth closed his eyes, laughing under his breath as he turned back to the canister.  
  
"They've come again, mother." Laying a hand on the glass protectively, Sephiroth eyed Cloud. "With her superior power, knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become ruler of the planet. Something you and your ancestors could never comprehend." Waving his free hand in the air, Sephiroth turned back to the glass canister, peering closely at it, his hands on the tube. "But they…those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother," he whispered. "I'm here now though, so you don't need to worry." Curling a fist, Sephiroth punched through the glass and reached up, taking Jenova from the container that had been its home. He gazed down at the metallic mask, and ran a finger down it gently.  
  
"What about MY sadness?" Cloud shouted; Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder at the nearly hysterical SOLDIER, blank. Cloud threw a hand in the air, gesturing behind him, toward the reactor. "What about my family…friends…the sadness of having my hometown taken away from me!? It's the same as your sadness!"  
  
"_My_ sadness?" Sephiroth chuckled, setting Jenova down so that he could face Cloud. "What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet, and I have orders to take back the Planet from _you_ stupid people for the Cetra." Sephiroth brushed his bangs from his eyes, a cool smirk on his face. "What do I have to be sad about?"   
  
Cloud shook his head, gripping his forehead with a hand as he gritted his teeth in fury. "Sephiroth…to think that I trusted you…no!" Cloud tore his hand off of his forehead and reached behind himself, drawing his sword. "No! You're not the Sephiroth I used to know!" He held his sword before himself, eyes narrowed. Sephiroth shook his head, unsheathing Masamune, and stood his ground, watching Cloud with an almost curious gaze.  
  
- - - - - -   
  
"And that's it. That's my story," Cloud finished, glancing back at the group from the window he stood at, and put his hands in his pockets. Red, Tifa, Aerith, Reilena, and Barret stared at him, shock across their faces.  
  
"Wait just a goddamned minute! Ain't there more to it?" Barret finally asked. Cloud shook his head, blowing out a long sigh, and dropped his eyes to the ground.  
  
"I…I don't remember."  
  
"What happened to Sephiroth?" Aerith asked; both Cloud and Reilena shook their heads, and Aerith regarded her sister curiously, as did Cloud. "Rei…"   
  
"He left. I remember that…I saw him once after the events at Nibelheim reached Midgar," Reilena whispered. "He didn't tell me what happened, what he had done…he only told me that he would see me again soon, and left."  
  
"Well, in terms of skill, there was no way I could have killed him anyhow," Cloud added. Tifa shrugged, glancing between her friends.  
  
"Official records state that Sephiroth is dead. I read that in the newspaper a couple days later," she said. Reilena laughed contemptuously.  
  
"You can't trust what they write," she scoffed, wiping at her eyes.   
  
"She's right…Shinra owns the newspaper companies," Aerith replied. Tifa nodded, albeit hesitantly, and glanced over at Cloud; the young man raked a hand through his blonde hair, leaning up against the wall.  
  
"I want to know the truth though," he muttered aloud. "I want to know what happened…why Sephiroth didn't kill me when I challenged him…and the deal with you and your knowledge of him as well," Cloud added, gazing up at Reilena solemnly. "Just how much do you know about him? How well do you think you know him?"  
  
"I'm alive, too," Tifa said, folding her arms as she looked between Cloud and Reilena. Finally, Aerith broke their silence, speaking pointedly to Cloud while she held her sister close.  
  
"Look, the only thing we do know is that this all doesn't make a lot of sense," she said; when Cloud gestured toward Reilena, Aerith shook her head harshly. "Right now, leave my sister out of this. Besides, what about Jenova? It was in the Shinra building, right?" she asked, changing the subject slightly.   
  
"Shinra had it shipped from Nibelheim to Midgar after the incident," he replied in a clipped tone.  
  
"What about what just happened? It was gone when we left the building…did someone carry it out then?" she shot back. Tifa brushed her brunette hair from her eyes in thought.  
  
"Sephiroth…?" she asked, glancing up at Cloud. He shrugged; nearby, Barret kicked the ground irritably.  
  
"Damn! Ain't none of this makes sense anymore!" he ranted. "I'm going, going, going, gone! Hell with this, I'm leavin' the thinkin' to you, Cloud," Barret added, waving his hand in Cloud's direction. "We'll stay here for a night, rest up, and then let's get a move on, a'ight!?" Without waiting for a reply from anyone, Barret stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. A moment of silence; finally, Cloud nodded.  
  
"Barret's right. We'll rest here, and then leave in the morning," he said, glancing across Aerith, Reilena, Red, and Tifa solemnly. Aerith, Red, and Tifa nodded in agreement, and Tifa glanced up at Cloud with a meek sheen in her eyes.  
  
"Cloud, can I ask you something?" He nodded, and Tifa sighed. "How…how bad was I when Sephiroth cut me?"  
  
"Pretty bad." Cloud shut his eyes, thinking back to the day. "I…I thought you were a goner for a while." Tifa nodded, and stood up with a low sigh.  
  
"Thank you." Tifa laid a hand on Cloud's shoulder lightly, and then headed for the door. "I'm going to get some supplies from the merchant in town, and then I'll meet you girls back here. We'll stay together in this room, and the men can stay in the one next door."  
  
"Sounds good," Cloud agreed. Tifa nodded, and left the room; Cloud turned his gaze back to the Gainsborough sisters. Both girls still sat in place, though Reilena's tears had dried, and he knelt before them. Aerith leaned her head on her sister's shoulder, hugging her tightly even as she whispered to Cloud.  
  
"Reilena and I…the Ancients…Cetra…Jenova…Sephiroth…and ourselves," she murmured, gazing quietly at Cloud. Not knowing what to say, Cloud merely laid a hand on Aerith's shoulder as he stood back up, and left the room. At the girls' feet, Red finally rose, scratching his shoulder.  
  
"What a fascinating story," he mused, and then glanced up at the sisters. "And I sincerely hope to hear yours as well, Rei." With that, he plodded out of the room, nudging the door closed behind him with his nose. Aerith and Reilena watched Red amble out, and then Aerith glanced over at Reilena. Immediately her sister hid her face in her hands, biting at her lip to keep quiet, and Aerith sighed.  
  
"Rei…c'mon, look up," she said quietly. Reilena shook her head in refusal, and Aerith smiled gently, rising from the foot of the bed, and knelt before her sister, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Look. If it makes you feel any better, I don't blame you for anything, and I'm sure our mother wouldn't either."  
  
"Which one, Aerith?" Reilena muttered. "Elmyra, or our real mother?" Picking her head up, she gazed down at her older sister, her eyes turned red from crying, and sighed. "It's bad enough that I saw Hojo all of forty-eight hours ago and flipped out over _that_; then Tseng went and kidnapped you, we were thrown into Hojo's experimental container with Red, and now all this about Sephiroth…I feel like I'm the damned enemy here," she finished, wiping at her eyes. "It's obvious that Cloud doesn't trust me, I don't know about Red, and Tifa…I should just leave the group right now, before we get anywhere."   
  
"No! Don't say that!" Aerith chastised, setting both hands on Reilena's shoulders; when Reilena glanced down at her, Aerith shook her head, a determined sheen in her eyes. "We're in this together, just like everything else we've ever gotten into. If one Gainsborough is involved, then both are. And Reilena…" she paused, running a hand through her sister's bangs, "even if it gets to the point where Cloud blatantly tells you to leave us, then I will come with you." Shocked, Reilena stared at her sister, and Aerith nodded. "I promise."  
  
A knock; both Aerith and Reilena looked over to see Tifa standing in the doorway, a small paper bag in her arms. "Hey Rei, Aerith…I'm not interrupting anything here, am I?" she asked, kicking the door shut behind her. Aerith shook her head as Reilena tucked her hair behind an ear. Noticing her friend's silence, Tifa set the bag down on a nearby table and walked over quickly, concerned. "Rei, what's the matter?"  
  
"She'll be okay," Aerith replied. Tifa gazed up at the older Gainsborough; Aerith's hands were folded, and she nodded. "She and I talked it out. She seems to think that Cloud has it in for her since she knows about Sephiroth, but I explained it to her…"  
  
"Well," Tifa said, shaking her head. "I wish I could tell you it'll all be okay, but I don't know." She pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair, shaking it loose, and sat down on a stool in front of the Gainsborough sisters. "I've known Cloud for a long time - he's way too serious for his own good at times - and once he sets his mind on something, it takes a lot to change it. Rei," she continued, turning to her friend, "from what I can see, Cloud suspects that you know a lot more about Sephiroth than you're telling us, and since you're being so quiet about it and he doesn't know you all that well, he's pretty much considering you to be allied with Sephiroth." Reilena sighed heavily, shoving Aerith's hand away from her, and raked a hand through her hair.  
  
"So I might as well leave then," she muttered. "I knew it; I'm the enemy. Fine then, I'll just head back to Midgar…"   
  
"Reilena, just what the hell are you saying!?" Tifa said, clamping her hands down on her friend's shoulders. Reilena shot Tifa a sullen gaze, and Tifa raised an eyebrow, sighing. "Look…Cloud may suspect you of something, but no one else here does. Hell, Barret and I were talking about how he was treating you back at the Shinra building…and Red most likely has no intentions of making you leave, so the only one you have to worry about is Cloud…"  
  
"Who just happens to be the leader of this entire shebang," Reilena shot back; Tifa opened her mouth to argue, and instead dropped her gaze to the floor, resigned. Aerith walked up beside Tifa, shocked, and Reilena nodded. "Look, just let me make my own decision on this, alright? I don't want any tension here - hell, there's enough as it is without Cloud's sudden hatred of me…"  
  
"Reilena, he doesn't _hate_ you…" Tifa began; Reilena shook her head violently.  
  
"He might as well with the way he's been acting as of late," she snapped. Finally Tifa sighed, turning her gaze to the ceiling.  
  
"Okay then Rei. I won't argue with you," she muttered in a dimissive tone. "If you want to think Cloud hates you, then so be it. I'm going to sleep." Turning to Aerith, she continued. "I spoke with Barret when I came back in from the shop; we're all to meet in the lobby in the morning, and we'll set up groups then." Aerith nodded, and saw Tifa turn to Reilena again; the younger Gainsborough was standing at the window, her hands clasped lightly behind her back. Tifa shook her head, concerned. "You think she'll leave, Aerith?"  
  
"She'll do what she thinks is best," Aerith replied, laying a hand on Tifa's shoulder. "Don't worry yourself over it. I'll talk with her a bit." Tifa raised an eyebrow; Aerith bowed her head, and Tifa finally blew out a long-held breath.  
  
"You're right. 'Night Aerith." Aerith echoed the sentiment, and in moments Tifa was in her bedclothes and underneath the covers of her own bed. Shaking her head, Aerith turned to her sister with an inquiring look; Reilena stood in silence, unmoved, and she walked up to Reilena's side.   
  
"Reilena, are you sure this is the right thing to do?" she asked quietly. Reilena sighed even as she shrugged, glancing toward the window as she thought to herself. What she had said to Tifa was true - Cloud was giving Reilena the feeling that he hated her, considered her an enemy still, but there had to be a way for her to stay with the party and avoid turning herself in to the Shinra. On the other hand though…Reilena had to admit that even with everything she'd heard, the shocking tale Cloud had told, she still felt something for Sephiroth.  
  
_Damn decisions_. "We said we had things to learn about ourselves…our family…and the Ancients, right?" she began, glancing sideways at her older sister. Aerith bowed her head as she listened to Reilena. "Besides…there's a few things I want to find out for myself. Like about those visions with the ex-Turk…and Sephiroth," she finished. Aerith exhaled silently, brushing her light brown hair from her eyes. Reilena glanced beside herself at Aerith, and gave her a slight shrug. Aerith smiled as she patted her sister's cheek gently.  
  
"Good night, Reilena," she whispered. Reilena nodded.  
  
"'Night, Aerith." Waiting until she was sure both women were asleep, Reilena pulled a chair up beside the window and sat down, wiping at her eyes as she continued to watch the moon.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Argh." Cloud tossed the covers off of himself, resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get any sleep. Numerous thoughts kept running through his head, refusing to stop even as he shut off the light and tried to sleep. In the bed beside his, Barret snored loudly, his back to Cloud; at the foot of their beds lay Red XIII, curled up in a doglike manner as he slept. Cloud swung his legs over his bed and ran a hand through his disheveled blonde hair, heading toward the door; since it was so late, there probably wouldn't be anyone sitting downstairs in the lobby at this time. It'd be better off for him to sit down there and think anyhow, since his damn mind wouldn't shut down.  
  
Pulling the door shut silently behind him, Cloud made his way to the staircase and walked down, shielding his eyes for a moment at the surprisingly bright lights. Once his pupils were adjusted, he made his way down the remainder of the steps and strode outside, folding his hands behind his back as he looked up at the sky with a sigh.  
  
"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" His brow furrowed, Cloud peered over his shoulder; Reilena sat on a bench nearby, her arms folded loosely. He dropped his eyes to the ground and turned on his heel.  
  
"I didn't know there was someone else out here," he muttered. "I'll let you be…"  
  
"Nuh-uh." Reilena stood up and strode in front of Cloud, blocking his way back to the inn. "I need to talk to you. Right now." Cloud rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his bare chest as he stared down at Reilena. She remained in place, returning his gaze; finally he exhaled heavily, dropping his arms.   
  
"Go on then." Reilena bowed slightly, returning to her seat on the bench; Cloud opted to stand, and watched her closely, leaning on the bannister of the inn's porch.  
  
"Okay then…how do I start," she muttered, running a hand through her hair nervously. A glance up at Cloud told her that he was already losing his patience with her, and she nodded. "Alright. I understand that you think that I have some sort of…partnership, for lack of a better word, with Sephiroth…"  
  
"You do seem to know quite a bit about him," Cloud interjected. "Not to mention the fact that you had the keys to our cell in the Shinra building, you knew the Masamune, and you go quiet everytime someone mentions him."   
  
"I know, I know." Reilena sat back on the bench, biting at her lip in thought. "Look…the reason why I know him as well as I do…oh sheez," she rattled, raking both hands through her hair as she looked up at Cloud. "About five years ago, there was a formal held by Shinra to celebrate the new class of SOLDIERs graduating from the program. I was dragged there by Aerith 'cause her boyfriend at the time was in the program, and she thought it would be good for me to go there. But, I ended up leaving the main room 'cause I was…I admit it, I was getting jealous of Aerith, and I walked out to be by myself." A pause; Reilena let out a shaky breath, even as she laughed quietly.   
  
"Wait…you were there?" Cloud asked. Reilena's gaze shot upward, and she watched Cloud; he nodded, snapping his fingers as he pushed himself off the bannister. "I knew it…I knew I recognized you and your sister from somewhere." Pausing for a moment, Cloud walked over to the bench and sat down near Reilena, still keeping a bit of distance from her. "_You_ were the one that Sephiroth was talking about then…" Reilena's eyes widened, and she clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.  
  
"What?" Cloud nodded, leaning back on the bench.  
  
"Yeah. He didn't say much about you, but I do remember him mentioning someone he'd met at that formal…how he'd 'felt some sort of connection' with her…now it's starting to come back to me," Cloud mused, glancing out toward the sky. "But if you were that girl…then what about now?" He turned back to Reilena, stoic again; she shook her head with a sigh, looking down at her hands.  
  
"I…I don't know," she whispered. "I mean, I can't lie and say that I still don't feel something for him. I _do_…it's just that with you being so aloof about this, and giving me this aura of hatred, I didn't think that I could speak to you one-on-one and get you to understand that I want to remain here, with the party." Glancing up, she tucked her hair behind an ear, blinking quickly. "I don't want to leave Aerith, and there's still too much I want to find out about ourselves, about Sephiroth, and about my visions." Reilena turned to Cloud with a pleading glance. "I swear to you, I had no idea that Sephiroth had anything to do with the destruction of your hometown, of everything that just happened at the Shinra building…when we were imprisoned in the building, that was the first time I'd seen him in five years, you have to believe me."  
  
Cloud took a deep breath as he sat back on the bench and looked out at the night sky. She _sounded_ honest enough - and he had to admit, it was quite strange finding out that he had known the Gainsboroughs before, not to mention the girl that Sephiroth had spoken so fondly of before. There was that nagging voice in his mind though that told him she wasn't to be trusted, that if they ever did meet up with Sephiroth again she'd leave them in an instant. Cloud brushed his hair away from his eyes as he let out his breath and stood, turning to face Reilena. She stared back up at him, hopeful; finally, he nodded.  
  
"I believe you," Cloud said. "You can stay with us." Immediately Reilena leapt up, hugging Cloud; he stood in place, slightly confused, and Reilena stood back just as quickly, laughing.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that…I mean, thank you! Thank you so much," she said, shaking his hand instead. "You have no idea what this means to me."  
  
"You're welcome." Cloud gestured toward the inn. "Might as well get some sleep now - we're leaving at daybreak."   
  
"Of course." Reilena bowed slightly, the excited smile still on her face. "Thank you again Cloud…good night!" He nodded in return, watching to make sure she made it back upstairs, and turned to the sky with a low sigh. He was still a bit uncertain as to whether she could be trusted, but her emotions were genuine; it would have been dishonourable for him to just leave her in the dust as such.  
  
_And she just might be of use when we finally do catch up to Sephiroth._


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: Cloud, Tifa, and co. are copyright SquareEnix, Co. Reilena Gainsborough is co. Vinja Ryou

* * *

Morning.  
  
Aerith, Barret, Red, Reilena, and Tifa were waiting in the lobby of Kalm's inn; some were patient, while others paced the floor. Reilena had already explained to both Aerith and Tifa that she had spoken with Cloud during the night, and that he agreed to let her remain with them, and Tifa had happily relayed the news to Barret and Red, who seemed pleased as well. Now however, Barret was beginning to lose his patience with the spiky-haired mercenary.  
  
"Where the hell is he at!?" Barret grumbled. "We can't be wastin' our time sittin' here…" A creak from the staircase nearby; the team turned as one to the staircase. Cloud made his way down, stifling a small yawn.  
  
"Sorry…" he trailed off when Aerith thrust a phone in his hand. "Huh?"  
  
"Take it," she replied; beside her, Red nodded.  
  
"It's the PHS. It will put us in constant contact, should you need us," the beast replied. "Barret's handed one out to everyone, and even has a few extras to spare." Cloud nodded, looking over the phone curiously, and hooked it onto his belt.  
  
"Well, since this is settled, we'll be going now," Aerith suddenly stated, motioning between herself and Reilena.   
  
"Yeah, we'd better split up in smaller groups," Cloud agreed. "But where're we headed to?" Tifa stepped up, her hand raised calmly.  
  
"I spoke with a few of the merchants outside. One says he'd seen 'some guy in a black cloak walking east toward the grassy fields'," she reported. Cloud glanced over the group with a curt nod.  
  
"Then it's settled. We'll head for the fields and see if we can catch up with Sephiroth there," he decided, shooting a quick look over at Reilena. "First off though, we need to decide on our groups. There's six of us here, which would mean we go in two separate groups, but we'll all head for the same place."  
  
"Sounds good t'me," Barret replied, folding his arms. "Now who's with who?" He kept his eye on Cloud as the young man thought to himself.  
  
"Reilena, Tifa, you're with me," Cloud said, nodding to the two girls. "Red, Barret, Aerith…we'll call you if it's necessary." Barret and Red nodded understandably; Aerith bowed her head politely, and then walked over to her sister as Reilena and Tifa strode to Cloud's side.  
  
"Before you go Rei, take these," Aerith said, holding out a couple Materia orbs. Reilena threw a curious glance at Aerith, but took the orbs. "One is a Heal Materia, while the other is Cure. I'm sure you'll find them to be of much use," she explained quietly. Reilena smiled, slipping the new Materia into the empty slots on her armlet, and took her place on Cloud's left.  
  
"Oh, and take this, too," Barret called, handing Cloud a handgun. Cloud took one look at the gun and stared up at Barret.  
  
"What's _this_ for?"  
  
"It's a uh…what was it called again?"   
  
"Peacemaker," Red muttered. Barret laughed.  
  
"Oh yeah! Peacemaker…dunno who can use it, but hey, maybe one of y'all will learn how to use a gun, and so…yeah," he finished, scratching the back of his head. Cloud held the gun in his right hand, checked to make sure it was still functioning, and handed the gun to Tifa; she raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.  
  
"Hell no! I don't use these kinda weapons," she cried, glancing up at her boss. "No offense, Barret." She in turn handed the gun to Reilena. "Here Rei…_you_ take it. You're good with knives." Reilena rolled her eyes, but took the handgun from Tifa.  
  
"Yeah - those are _blades_, Tifa," she retorted, gripping the gun in her right hand. For some reason though, the metal felt a bit familiar, and Reilena stuck the pistol in her satchel. "Eh…I might find some use for it," she continued, having seen the curious looks on Aerith, Cloud, and Tifa's faces. Barret grinned, and threw the group a mock salute.  
  
"Then we're off. See ya 'round!"   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Kweh!" The chocobos' simultaneous cry broke the tense silence that had surrounded Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa since they'd left the small chocobo farm in the plains. Choco Billy had sold them the Chocobo Lure Materia for the surprisingly low cost of 2000 Gil, which Tifa now held onto, while Cloud carried the scarlet Choco/Mog summon the chocobos had mysteriously handed over. Choco Billy's father had also told the crew that he had seen a man in a black cape heading for the mythril mines to the southwest.  
  
The trio had successfully captured three chocobos and ridden them across the vast marshes; though none of them had ever ridden the yellow-feathered birds before, Cloud had been the most uncoordinated while riding, and halted his bird with a slight air of relief. "Let's release the chocobos here," he ordered, dismounting his bird. Reilena and Tifa shot curious looks at each other, but followed suit. Tifa patted her chocobo's neck, and then turned to Cloud apprehensively as the birds scurried off.  
  
"Are you sure it's safe now Cloud?" she asked, pulling her gloves on tighter. "I mean, we did hear what the farmer said about the Midgar Zoloms…" Cloud sighed impatiently.  
  
"Tifa, we crossed the marshes. The chocobos outran the Zoloms - we'll be," he silenced himself as the group froze in their tracks. Just a few feet ahead, a huge serpent hung in the air, dead; its body had been thrust onto a broken tree. The remnants of the tree and the grasses below were crimson, soaked in the Zolom's blood. "…fine."  
  
"Oh my God," Reilena whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Who…" Cloud stared over at the younger Gainsborough; she seemed to be genuinely surprised, but yet…he shook his head.  
  
"Sephiroth," Cloud replied, eyes narrowed as he stared at the impaled beast. "We must be close."  
  
"And the mines are just up ahead," Tifa added, pointing to a cavern beyond the Zolom's corpse. Cloud nodded, and strode on briskly; Tifa stared at his retreating back for a moment, and then jogged back to Reilena. Her friend still stared at the dead creature in shock, and she tugged on Reilena's arm. "C'mon Rei."  
  
"Huh?!" Reilena blinked, then shook her head. "Oh, sorry." She followed Tifa, both women trying their hardest to ignore the heavy copperlike stench of blood, and joined Cloud just as he walked into the mines. Quiet, the trio glanced around the mines, bracing themselves for an attack as they took in the sights.   
  
Much smaller than any of them had been expecting, the stone structure of the mines gave off a slight greenish sheen, adding to the light of the sun pouring in from spots above. While they glanced around, Tifa's eyes widened; as Cloud and Reilena stood in place, Tifa climbed up the side of a small cliff, snatching a sparkling mineral, and tossed it down to Cloud. "Long Range Materia," Tifa explained. "Might come in handy at some point."  
  
"True." Cloud pocketed the crystal and gestured for the two women to follow him. Silent, they made their way down the winding corridor of the mines, and found an opening into the plains ahead. Cloud peered around the corners, nodding to himself, and turned back to Reilena and Tifa. "I'll go ahead…you both follow me when I give the signal," he whispered.  
  
"Gotcha," Tifa said; she and Reilena knelt down, crouching in the shadows; Cloud crept forth, a hand ready to reach for his blade should it be necessary, and froze when he heard footsteps. He spun on his heel - Reilena and Tifa shrugged, still in place - and he peered over the edge of the small cliff they were on.   
  
"What the hell…?" Below them, three people in dark suits and glasses walked in; they looked familiar somehow, and Cloud raised a hand, motioning for Tifa and Reilena to join him. Instead, he heard gravel tumbling over the edge, and glanced over just in time to see Reilena leap over the edge, followed by Tifa. Cloud slapped his forehead irritably, and then followed the girls down, landing on his feet behind them. Before him, Reilena reached for one of her daggers, while Tifa laid a hand on her shoulder. In front of the women, the suited trio glanced at them non-chalantly.  
  
"Just what are _you_ doing here!?" Reilena growled; one of her hands hovered above a dagger slung on her hip. The bald man staring at her raised a dark eyebrow above his sunglasses as he held a hand in the air.  
  
"Just a second here," he began; Tifa shook her head.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked; the man turned to Reilena, pointing to her.  
  
"Do _you_ know who I am?" he said; both Reilena and Cloud nodded, the mercenary coming up behind her. He set a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head, and Reilena sighed, dropping her hand from her dagger. Cloud then turned back to the man, solemn.  
  
"From the Turks, right?"   
  
"It's Rude - he and Reno are partners," Reilena spat. Cloud ignored her; Rude chuckled, running a hand over his head.  
  
"Well if you know, then this won't take long," he replied coolly. "You see, it isn't quite easy explaining what the Turks do…" Cloud raised an eyebrow, folding his arms.  
  
"Kidnapping, right?" he shot back. Rude shrugged, sighing.   
  
"If you want to put it in a _negative_ light, then I guess you could say that," he said. "But that's not all we're involved in anymore…there's more to it now…"  
  
"Sir!" A female voice cut through; as Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa watched, a woman in a suit matching Rude's strode up, her blonde hair cropped short. She gave Rude a crisp nod, which he returned. "It's all right, Rude. I know you don't like speeches, so don't force it," she continued. Rude swept a hand toward the trio.  
  
"…Then Elena, you explain it," he muttered. She strode in front of Rude, glaring at the three from behind dark glasses.  
  
"I'm the newest member of the Turks, Elena," she began, introducing herself in a short tone. "Thanks to what you all did to Reno, we're short of people…" she paused, thoughtful. "Although because of that I was promoted to the Turks…" Turning back to Cloud, Tifa, and Reilena, the harshness returned to her voice. "In any case, it is _our_ job to find out where Sephiroth is headed, and to try and stop you every step of the way." Again she stopped, though this time she seemed confused; Elena tapped her chin in thought. Behind her, Rude shook his head, and she pointed her finger at Cloud. "You're the ones that are getting in our way!" Beside Cloud, Reilena sighed loudly, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Are you done yet?" she snapped. Elena turned to her, growling under her breath.  
  
"Elena…you talk too much," a voice stated. Glancing up at the cliff Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa had been on, the group saw Tseng standing above, holding his forehead in his hand. Elena dropped her eyes to the ground.  
  
"Sorry Tseng," she said. Tseng shook his head, waving a hand in the air.  
  
"There's no need to tell them of our orders," he continued, a cool tone to his speech as he motioned to the outside. "Now go. And don't forget to file the reports."  
  
"Oh! Right!" Elena cried, nodding crisply in Tseng's direction. "Very well - Rude and I will go after Sephiroth, who's heading for Junon Harbor!" Again, Tseng clapped a hand to his forehead, while Tifa and Reilena giggled softly.  
  
"Elena…you don't seem to get it, do you?"   
  
"Oh! I'm sorry…" Elena apologized; one look at her face showed her confusion, and Rude massaged his forehead, letting out an irritated sigh. Above them, Tseng rolled his eyes irritably; Elena was proving to be much more of a nuisance than he was willing to put up with.  
  
"You know what, just go," he finally sighed. "And don't let Sephiroth get away." Both Rude and Elena nodded.  
  
"Yes sir!" Elena left the mine corridors first; Rude stuck around, and smiled to Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa coldly.   
  
"Reno said he wanted to see you all after the injuries you gave 'im are healed," he said. "He wants to show his affection for you all…with his new weapon." Reilena growled under her breath as both Cloud and Tifa tensed; Rude chuckled as he followed Elena out of the mines, and the trio turned to look up at Tseng, who watched them all with a knowing smile.  
  
"So nice to see you all again…especially you, Reilena," Tseng called.   
  
"Give my regards to Reno," Reilena snarled back. Tseng laughed under his breath, folding his arms. The spiky-haired punk was there, as well as one of the AVALANCHE rebels…but someone was missing.  
  
"Where's Aerith at? She isn't with you anymore?" he asked. Cloud held his arm in front of Reilena, barring her from saying anything, and glared up at Tseng.  
  
"Aerith isn't with us," he called. "She's with the others." Tseng cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Oh, is that so?" He gave them a slight shrug. "Then give her my regards," he replied; with that, he turned on his heel and walked out, heading in the same direction as Elena and Rude. When he was sure the Turks had left the vicinity, Cloud dropped his arm. Immediately Reilena growled.  
  
"What the hell are they doing here!? They think Aerith and I are just going to waltz right into their hands? Sheez!" Cloud shook his head; Tifa on the other hand shrugged, and Reilena glanced over at Cloud.  
  
"No. They're after the same thing as us," he replied solemnly. "They're after Sephiroth as well. Besides, the Turks won't go after you without your sister, which is why it's a good thing you and Aerith are split up." Peering down at Reilena, he saw the pensive look on her face and nodded toward the exit. "C'mon. We're going to Junon." He started off toward the mine exit, Tifa beside him; finally Reilena snapped out of her thoughts and caught up to the couple. The regrouped trio shielded their eyes, walking back out into the plains.  
  
"So exactly where _is_ Junon, anyhow?" Tifa asked. Cloud pointed east.  
  
"Over that way…I was stationed there once while in SOLDIER training," he replied, walking still. Tifa walked along his left, Reilena on Tifa's own left; since there were no chocobo tracks nearby, they had to make the long trek to Junon on foot…  
  
"HEY! Just where do you think you're going!?" Startled, Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa stopped, looking around. There didn't seem to be anyone around, and Cloud turned to the two women, an eyebrow raised in confusion. They glanced back at him with simultaneous shrugs; suddenly Tifa pointed behind Cloud, and he spun on his heel, pulling out the Hardedge. A young girl stood before them, brandishing a large shuriken in her hand; by the looks of her clothing, she appeared to be a ninja. "Whaddya think you're all lookin' at!?" the ninja shouted again. Tifa raised her fists, staying by Cloud's left; on his right, Reilena unsheathed her daggers, bracing herself. The ninja laughed. "Not answerin' me, huh? Fine, be that way!" With that, she flung the shuriken toward Tifa; Cloud darted in front of her, taking the blow, and remained silent even as the throwing star grazed his arm before returning to its owner.  
  
"Is that all you've got?" Tifa retorted; she dashed up to the ninja girl, throwing a jab to the left and a right roundhouse kick before leaping back to their ranks. The girl growled, holding her cheek as she glared at Tifa, and threw her weapon out in a rage. It struck Reilena's leg before flying back to the ninja, and Reilena narrowed her eyes as she took aim, leaping toward the ninja as she sliced downward with her daggers. Again the ninja girl stumbled back, her shoulders cut, and shook her head.  
  
"I'm not giving up that easily!" she yelled. Cloud shook his head, replacing Hardedge, and held his fists out, concentrating his energy into the Lightning Materia in his armlets; Bolt was cast, and rained down on the young ninja. He took out his sword again, bracing for a surefire strike back, and was surprised when the ninja instead dropped down to her knees, obviously irritated. Tifa sighed, dropping her fists, Cloud twirled the Hardedge once before replacing it again, and Reilena shook her head, sheathing her daggers. The ninja girl remained on the ground, punching a fist into the grass angrily. "Man…I can't believe I lost," she grumbled; a second later she glared up at the trio, eyes narrowed as she shook her fist at Cloud. "You spikey-headed jerk!" Leaping to her feet, the ninja reached for her shuriken again. "One more time…let's go one more time!"  
  
"Are you serious!?" Reilena asked. Nearby, Cloud shook his head, arms folded; Tifa rolled her eyes.  
  
"Not interested," Cloud stated. He nodded to Tifa and Reilena, and both women followed him, making their way across the plain. The ninja girl laughed as she replaced her shuriken, and leapt in front of Cloud in a threatening manner.  
  
"Thinkin' of runnin' away?" she asked, putting a fist up. "Stay and fight! _FIGHT_, I said! I mean c'mon…what's the matter?" she asked, holding her arms out. "You afraid of me or something?" Again, Cloud folded his arms, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"Absolutely petrified," he replied, emotionless. The ninja chuckled as she shook her head, hands on her hips.   
  
"Just as I thought," she said. "What did you expect with _my_ skills?" Glancing over at Tifa and Reilena, the ninja bowed her head in slight respect. "Good luck to you guys, too. If you feel up to it, we can go another round," she continued with a shrug. No reply; shaking her head, the ninja turned. "Later, then! I'm really gonna leave! REALLY!" She walked off slowly; Cloud remained silent, even though Tifa and Reilena both glanced at him, eyes widened.  
  
"Are you really going to let her go, just like that?" Tifa asked under her breath. Cloud shook his head.  
  
"Wait a second!" he called. Just as he thought, the ninja spun on her heel and trotted back to them excitedly. Once she stopped though, she retook the cocky aura she'd had before, and folded her arms with a smirk.  
  
"What is it, you still have somethin' for me?" she asked; Cloud nodded.   
  
"My colleagues and I would like for you to join us," he said; beside him, both Reilena and Tifa nodded, and the ninja grinned.  
  
"So is that it? I mean…I know you want my help because I'm so good!" she boasted. "You want me to go with you?"  
  
"That's right," Cloud stated. The ninja glanced back at the two girls beside him - they smiled back politely - and she laughed under her breath.  
  
"I thought so!" she crowed. "Well, you've put me in a bind here…what _should_ I do?" She tapped her chin in mock thought, and then threw her arms up in a shrug. "If you want me that badly, I can't refuse…so all right! I'm going with you!" Cloud bowed his head, concealing a knowing smile; when he looked back up again, he was solemn.  
  
"Let's hurry on," he said, nodding to Reilena and Tifa as he strode off; the ninja girl yelled after him.  
  
"Hey, HEY! I haven't even told you my name yet!" she said; a moment later she noticed that the two women who'd accompanied Cloud were lagging behind, and she jogged up to them holding a hand out to each as she grinned. "I'm Yuffie! Yuffie Kisaragi! Good to meetcha!" she chirped, shaking both girls' hands. Tifa nodded with a polite smile.  
  
"Tifa Lockheart." Yuffie nodded, and turned to the sanguine-haired girl next.  
  
"I'm Reilena Gainsborough," Reilena stated, shaking Yuffie's hand. Yuffie smiled to them both again, and then dropped their hands, lagging behind them a bit so as to adjust her left armguard.  
  
"Just as I planned," she laughed to herself. "Now all I have to do is a little of this…a little of that…and poof! I am set!" Once she was certain her armguard was fixed, she looked up to find that Cloud, Reilena, and Tifa had almost reached the top of a hill, and chased after them. "Hey, wait up! Wait for me!"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Hey Mr. Dolphin! Tee hee hee!" a little girl laughed; she was in knee-deep water, splashing and giggling with the grey dolphin nearby. Cloud, Reilena, Tifa, and Yuffie stared at each other, confused; _this_ was Junon Harbour? All they saw was the little girl playing on the beach; further out in the water was a strange-looking metal structure, obviously built by Shinra and abandoned. But…was this all that was left; was this the place the Turks were headed to?  
  
Tifa glanced beyond Cloud, toward the little girl; she seemed oblivious to the adults nearby, content to just play with the dolphin. She shrugged to her companions, took a breath, and walked to the very edge of the shore, just before the water could lap at her metal-plated shoes. Leaning close, hands on her knees, Tifa mustered a smile; the little girl didn't seem to be much older than Marlene. "Hi there," Tifa called. "What's your name?"  
  
The little girl's laughter ceased, and she peered over her shoulder, cautious. A lady with long brown hair stood at the shore, smiling; behind her were two other ladies standing near a spiky-haired man. The little girl raised an eyebrow, walking toward the brown-haired lady, but stayed in the water. "I'm Priscilla. You…you're not with the Shinra, are you?"  
  
"The Shinra?" Tifa asked, taken aback; seconds later she burst out laughing and shook her head. "No no, of course not! My friends and I" - she gestured toward Cloud, Reilena, and Yuffie - "don't even _like_ the Shinra." Priscilla didn't seem convinced.  
  
"Mr. Dolphin doesn't like the Shinra," she said matter-of-factly. "And neither do I." With that, she walked back out into the water and began splashing about with the dolphin again. Tifa cast her eyes downward with a sigh; a second later she glanced back up at the little girl, having remembered what she was supposed to ask.  
  
"Excuse me…can you tell me where Junon is?" Again Priscilla turned; the look on her face was one that plainly said 'duh.'  
  
"Junon? This is the harbor." Tifa rolled her eyes, steeling her patience; Marlene was never this stubborn.  
  
"Yes, I know, but where is the town?" she called. No answer; Priscilla was obviously ignoring her. Throwing her arms in the air, Tifa walked back to the group, shaking her head. "She's ignoring me now." Cloud rolled his eyes.  
  
"…Great."   
  
"Now what?" Yuffie asked impatiently. "We're not just going to stand here and waste our time arguing with a little kid now, are we?" Cloud stared at Yuffie; the ninja shrugged. "What?"  
  
"Listen to yourself. You're still a child as well."  
  
"Oh really?" Yuffie shot back, hands on her hips. "I almost beat you back there, and don't think I'll fight you now!"  
  
"Guys!" Reilena said, standing in between Cloud and Yuffie. "The last thing we need right now is a fight among ourselves." A sigh; Yuffie threw her arms in the air, but didn't fight, and Reilena slowly lowered her hands. "Now...Yuffie and I were looking 'round while Tifa was talking with the kid" - she glanced over at Yuffie, who nodded - "and we found a path up higher on the beach. That's probably where the town is, and where we can meet up with the rest of the crew." Tifa came up alongside her friend, and bowed her head in agreement.  
  
"So let's not kill each other just yet," she added. "Let's head up to town, meet up with the others, and figure out our next move from there." Silence; finally Cloud nodded.  
  
"Let's move out." He turned on his heel and followed Tifa to the beach pathway, leaving Reilena and Yuffie behind. Both girls rolled their eyes at Cloud's back, but followed along as well. Yuffie replaced her shuriken as she walked alongside Reilena, mumbling under her breath. Reilena shrugged.  
  
"He doesn't like me either, so it's not just you," she replied. Shocked, Yuffie looked up at the older girl; Reilena laughed. "I heard what you said about Cloud; don't let it bother ya." Yuffie sighed, folding her arms as she walked.  
  
"Yeah, but how do you stand it if he already doesn't like ya?" she asked. Reilena shrugged again.  
  
"Because my sister likes him, I guess," she said slowly. Yuffie laughed.  
  
"Your sister likes _that_ spiky-headed jerk!?" Reilena nodded.  
  
"He reminds her of her first love."   
  
"Aww, how sweet," Yuffie giggled, jogging up the stone steps. Reilena followed close behind, and the two caught up with Cloud and Tifa as they walked into a shop not too far off.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Long time no see there Cloud," Barret said, having noticed the mercenary's entrance. Beside him, Aerith and Red glanced up from the trinkets they had been looking over, and smiled at the rest of their group. Cloud nodded once in silence, and Barret promptly gestured toward Yuffie. "So who's the newcomer there?"  
  
"I'm Yuffie," Yuffie chirped, sticking a small hand in Barret's face. He simply looked down at her hand, not knowing whether to take the youngster seriously or not, and finally took her hand in a healthy shake, chuckling. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, but offered her hand to Aerith as well; Red simply nodded. "What's with the laughter?" Barret shook his head.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that...jus' wasn't expectin' such a happy person to be with Cloud, tha's all," he replied; Cloud simply rolled his eyes as he took a Materia crystal from his pocket and tossed it to Barret.  
  
"Think fast." Eyes wide, Barret quickly caught the violet-hued Materia and looked it over. "It's a Long-Range Materia," Cloud explained. "Thought you might be able to use it." Barret took one look at it and shook his head, tossing the Materia back to Cloud.  
  
"Naaah - it's better for you," he said. "This here gun has a pretty far range itself." Cloud shrugged, but slipped the Materia into a slot on the Hardedge, and turned to Aerith and Red; Tifa, Reilena, and Yuffie had already decided to mingle in the small shop, but stayed nearby just in case. "Aerith, Red...you might as well know that the Turks are headed this way too, if they're not already in town," he stated. Both Aerith and Red nodded.  
  
"I had a feeling they were nearby," Aerith replied; she glanced over at her sister, who was looking over weaponry with the young ninja Yuffie. "They didn't..." she began; Cloud shook his head.  
  
"No. Tseng merely asked where you were" - Aerith sighed - "and then Rude gave us a threat issued from Reno." Cloud shrugged. "That was about it. We also found out that Sephiroth is headed this way, so we're all to be on the look out," he continued, making sure everyone in the troupe was within hearing range. "There's no telling what'll happen, so everyone has to be prepared."  
  
"Which we are," Red spoke up; he sat up on his haunches as he continued. "Aerith had us all check on our weapons and armour - we're ready to go whenever the rest of you are."   
  
"Excellent." With that, he started toward Yuffie, Reilena, and Tifa; his brow furrowed when he noticed the three women crowded around a window in silence, and strode over. "What's going on?" he asked. Tifa peered over her shoulder, and scooted over when she saw Cloud standing behind her. He took her place, and Tifa pointed out toward the harbor.  
  
"Look at that," she breathed; a large, brightly-coloured creature hovered over the shores of Junon Harbor. A birdlike creature, it seemed to be watching both Priscilla and her pet dolphin with a strange curiosity. Tifa shook her head. "Priscilla's going to get hurt if she stays out there," she murmured.  
  
"Then perhaps we should go out there and get her away from it?" Red asked; the beast had leapt onto a barrel, and was now peering out the window as well. Cloud nodded, and turned to the group, motioning for Reilena and Yuffie to do the same.  
  
"You're right...Barret, Aerith, c'mon," Cloud said. "We're gonna get Priscilla outta there - I don't have a good feeling about that thing." Barret and Aerith nodded, and followed Cloud out the door, toward the beach; Red, Tifa, Reilena, and Yuffie ran out of the store as well, but stopped at the staircase leading to the beach. Instead, they stood at the stairs, watching their comrades apprehensively.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Priscilla watched the wierd bird above, staying close to the dolphin. "Be careful, Mr. Dolphin," she said. "I don't think that bird is very friendly." As if in response, the dolphin swam further away from shore, toward the abandoned construction site, and Priscilla backed away from the bird, her eyes wide with fear. "Okay now, Mr. Bird...I'm going to leave you alone now, I promise..." she whispered. Instead, the Bottomswell creature screeched as it flew toward her, its talons outstretched. Priscilla immediately flung her hands before her eyes as she screamed.  
  
"Hold on! We're coming!" Cloud yelled; a quick nod to Barret, and the AVALANCHE leader shot the bird just before it could pick up the screaming girl. It squawked, hovering in the air above the girl; below it, Priscilla lay unconscious. Aerith ran in and picked up the child as Barret shot at Bottomswell again, and carried her further up the beach; once she'd laid Priscilla on the sand, she joined up with the rest of the group, her Striking Stick out and ready. Beside her, Cloud stumbled back, his left shoulder torn from the bird's talons; Aerith clasped her hands together, her weapon floating before her, and cast Cure; a green shimmer dropped over Cloud, Barret, and herself. "Thanks."  
  
"Of course," Aerith replied. Barret ducked underneath another one of Bottomswell's divebomb attacks, and peered over at Cloud; the mercenary held his sword in both hands, ready to strike. Barret shook his head; Cloud wouldn't be able to hit Bottomswell, not with the height the friggin' bird was flying at.  
  
"Cloud! Y'sure you can hit that thing!?" Barret yelled. Cloud shrugged, his eyes still on the monster.  
  
"We'll find out now, won't we?" With that, Cloud swung the sword over his shoulder, charging at the creature; it still seemed too high up, and impossible for Cloud to hit. Just before he could run underneath it however, Cloud swung Hardedge down; the Long-Range Materia within its blade enabled it to lengthen just enough to strike the bird's underbelly, and Bottomswell screeched, aiming a blue stream toward Aerith; before she could react, a blue bubble formed around her, and she held her throat with one hand, coughing.   
  
"Shit! That thing'll kill her!" Barret growled. Holding his gun-arm before him, he focused his anger on the Fire Materia within the gun. Flames engulfed both Bottomswell and the bubble imprisoning Aerith; the spell dissolved, and Bottomswell fell toward the ground. It still had enough energy to float a few feet above the sands however, and beat its wings at the trio attacking it. A tidal wave built up behind the creature spilled out, knocking Cloud, Aerith, and Barret onto their backs; once they'd climbed back up however, Bottomswell had fallen nearly to the ground.   
  
Without a word, Barret braced himself as the Big Shot Limit Break formulated; growling deep in his throat, Barret finally unleashed the attack. The fiery energy sphere hit Bottomswell full force, and the monster finally fell to the sand with a tiny mewling.   
  
"Well there goes that," Cloud muttered, replacing his sword. On his left, Barret looked over the Bottomswell's corpse; on his right, Aerith flicked her hair from her eyes as she retracted her Striking Stick and turned toward the little girl upshore. Reilena, Tifa, Red, and Yuffie were at Priscilla's side; at the steps leading to town, a man ran down to the group, distraught. Soundlessly, Aerith ran over to the party, Barret and Cloud following close behind.  
  
Tifa knelt on Priscilla's left, the little girl's wrist in her hand. "This is bad...this is really bad," she murmured. Hearing footsteps nearby, Tifa glanced up; Red and Reilena moved aside to let the older man kneel beside Priscilla. Tifa blinked quickly even as she watched the man take Priscilla's pulse. "You...you don't think she's dead, do you?" she asked quietly. The man shook his head.  
  
"Nope...but she's not breathing," he said, his voice shaking. Suddenly his eyes widened, and he looked up at Cloud; the blonde mercenary had been talking to Reilena, but glanced over at the older man with a raised eyebrow. The man gestured toward Priscilla quickly. "Young man, CPR, now!" he called. Cloud's eyes widened in shock, and he pointed to himself.  
  
"Mouth to mouth?" he asked meekly. Barret sighed, prodding Cloud on.   
  
"C'mon Cloud..."  
  
"But...she's just a _girl_," Cloud stuttered. The man shot Cloud an imploring glance; finally Tifa stood up and eyed Cloud.  
  
"Cloud, what are you going to do?" she asked, gesturing at the unconscious little girl. "All you need to do is CPR - she's only about Marlene's age, just help her!" Again, Tifa looked down; Aerith had taken her place, and was continually checking Priscilla's pulse.  
  
Tifa was right...and Priscilla _was_ just a little over Marlene's age...after glancing over at the rest of the team, Cloud knelt down beside Priscilla, motioning for Aerith to move over, and shot the man a solemn look. The man sighed.  
  
"Just take a deep breath, hold it in, and breathe into her. I'll be right here," he explained. Cloud nodded, and inhaled deeply; seconds later, the man tilted Priscilla's head back, holding her chin lightly, and Cloud leaned forward, breathing into her. Priscilla didn't move, and Cloud shot a look up; the man gestured for Cloud to continue, and he nodded, taking another breath. The third time did the trick; Priscilla suddenly coughed, and Cloud nearly jumped back, but remained on his knees, watching closely. Priscilla lifted a shaky, weak fist to her mouth, covering her cough, and the man quickly picked her up and held her close.  
  
"Priscilla, are you alright?" She nodded weakly, and the man rose to his feet, heading back to the town. Cloud stood up as well, looking over the rest of the party; on a silent agreement, they all followed the man to his house. However, when they tried to enter, he shook his head. "Thank you all for your concern, but Priscilla needs her rest now," he replied, and promptly closed the door in Cloud's face.  
  
"Sheez, we saved her life...can't we at least make sure she's alright?" Barret muttered under his breath; nearby, both Tifa and Reilena rolled their eyes, while Aerith, Yuffie, and Red remained silent. Cloud merely scratched his head with a sigh.  
  
"I just thought we'd..."  
  
"Excuse me!" Surprised, the group looked up as one to see a middle-aged lady walking toward them. A broad yet tired smile crossed her face, and she bowed slightly when she stopped before Cloud. "I heard what had happened, and saw you all out there...you've done so much for Priscilla, and you all must be exhausted." She glanced at each member as if for confirmation; they all nodded, and she chuckled kindly. "My house is just across the street here. If you'd like to rest, come on over and make yourselves at home; I'd be honoured to let you stay," she finished. Cloud nodded once and peered over his shoulder at the rest of the group.  
  
"Well...what do you all think?" he asked. Red whuffed.  
  
"I believe I speak for us all when I say we could use the sleep," he replied, scratching behind his ear; the lady's eyes widened upon hearing the beast speak, but she kept quiet since Cloud seemed unnerved. Behind Red, Barret nodded as well.  
  
"Yeah, I wanna relax for awhile too." Beside him, Tifa, Yuffie, Aerith, and Reilena all nodded, and Cloud turned back to the woman.  
  
"We'll stay with you then," he said. The woman beamed, and waved them on.  
  
"Then just follow me!" she called. Silent, the troupe followed the woman into her house; once inside, she motioned toward the staircase. "I have a couple rooms upstairs, with two beds apiece - I had four children - which you can all split among yourselves. There's also a few futons up there, which I'm sure one or two of you can use, and if it's necessary, I'll leave some bedding out here on the sofa," she explained. Aerith walked up beside Cloud, and laid a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder, smiling.  
  
"Thank you so much for this, Miss." The woman shook her head, but patted Aerith's hand.  
  
"It's the least I can do for you," she replied; Aerith took her hand back, and the woman turned to head for her own room. "Good night!" she said, raising a hand in farewell. Once the rest of the party waved back, Cloud turned to them all, arms folded.  
  
"We'll meet up here and figure out what to do next in the morning. For now, let's rest," he said.   
  
"Good idea," Yuffie replied, stretching her arms over her head as she yawned. Once finished, she slapped Reilena good-naturedly on the shoulder. "Wanna share a room then, Rei?" she asked. Reilena smiled tiredly, rolling a shoulder.  
  
"Yeah sure. That'd be cool." She glanced over at Aerith. "That okay with you?" Aerith nodded in reply, saying that she'd bunk with Tifa; Cloud and Barret agreed to take the futons.  
  
"So I guess Red'll stay with one of us then?" Cloud asked. Tifa shook her head, giggling softly; when Cloud arched an eyebrow, he glanced beyond the group and saw Red curled up in front of the sofa. His muzzle was perched on his paws, and his good right eye was shut; when they fell silent, the troupe heard him snoring lightly, and Cloud sighed. "That takes care of that, then. See you all in the morning." With that he started up the stairs, followed by the others.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"...that reminds me..."  
  
Cloud raised an eyebrow as he looked around himself. He could see his reflection in the one-way mirror, but there was no one else there with him in the tiny interrogation chamber. His eyes narrowed, Cloud watched his reflection.  
  
"You again," he muttered. "Who are you?" A laugh.  
  
"...you'll find out soon," it replied; Cloud threw his arms up in the air, furious. The voice was quiet, sexless, and impossible for Cloud to identify. "...but more importantly, five years ago..."  
  
"Five years ago," Cloud repeated under his breath. Eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat as he turned his glare to the ceiling; nothing but a dim, naked light bulb hung above, yet Cloud spoke aloud. "Nibelheim!?" Again, the voice chuckled; Cloud tightened his fists, teeth clenched.  
  
"When you went to Mount Nibel then, Tifa was your guide, right?"  
  
"Yeah...I was surprised," Cloud replied quietly; he ran a hand through his spiky hair, dropping into the lone metal folding chair in the room.  
  
"But where was Tifa other than that?" the omniscent voice asked. Cloud shook his head, brow furrowed in thought.  
  
"...I dunno."  
  
"It was a great chance for you two to see each other again."  
  
"...you're right."  
  
"So why couldn't you see each other alone?" the voice asked; Cloud could feel invisible eyes watching him, waiting for a response, and he shook his head.  
  
"I...I don't know," he said, defeated. "I can't remember clearly..." He sighed, dropping his head, hands tangled in his hair. The voice sighed itself, taking on a thoughtful tone.  
  
"Why don't you try asking Tifa?" it suggested.  
  
"...yeah," Cloud murmured, still hunched over. Heavy hands suddenly clamped down on his shoulders; when he looked up though, there was still no one there.  
  
"Then get _up_!" the voice growled. Cloud felt himself being shaken, and he tried to fight back; his hands flailed helplessly at thin air. "Hey...wake up!"  
  
"Wake up, Cloud!" Tifa muttered as she shook his shoulder. Finally she saw one of Cloud's eyes squint, and she stood back as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. Seconds later, he stared at Tifa in apparent shock.  
  
"Tifa...when Sephiroth and I went to Nibelheim," he began, swinging his legs over the futon he'd slept in, "where were you?" She shrugged nonchalantly.  
  
"...we saw each other, right?" she replied. Cloud shook his head, and pushed her arm away when she tried to help him to his feet; instead, he kept his gaze on the floor.  
  
"The other time." Tifa raised an eyebrow, tapping her chin in thought.  
  
"No...Cloud, it was five years ago, I don't remember exactly," she said dismissively. Cloud allowed her to pull him to his feet, and she gestured outside, oblivious to the depressed sheen in his eyes. "Besides, something strange is going on outside...you better come quick." Much to her surprise, Cloud pushed her away; she regarded him curiously. "Cloud..."  
  
"Yeah yeah...I'll be out in a minute," he replied quietly. Tifa nodded; once she was certain Cloud wasn't following her outside, she jogged down the stairs and out the front door. The rest of the group was awake and outdoors already; Aerith saw Tifa first, and made her way over to the younger woman.  
  
"Is he coming down now? she asked, a worried tone in her voice. Tifa shrugged.  
  
"I would think so..." she began. Nearby Reilena, Barret, and Yuffie sighed.  
  
"He tells us to be ready, then goes and sleeps in himself?" Yuffie complained; seconds later, she stared at the party members, wide eyed. "And you all put up with it?"  
  
"Yeah, I don't get it either," Barret added, rolling his eyes. "Tifa, did he act this way when you was kids?" Tifa shook her head, ignoring Yuffie as the young ninja whispered something in Reilena's ear.  
  
"No...he was much more quiet, but he'd say something and then do it, not keep people worrying..."  
  
"Who says I'm going to do that now?" Cloud spoke up. The party peered toward the house; Cloud walked out, nonchalant, and joined the group, casting curious glances at each in turn.  
  
"Lookit what the cat dragged outside," Reilena replied, folding her arms. Cloud shrugged once, turning his glance to Tifa; shocked, Reilena shot a look toward Aerith, who shrugged helplessly, confused as well.   
  
"So what's going on?" he asked. Quiet, Tifa pointed across the street. Priscilla sat on her front stoop, scratching behind Red XIII's ears. The beast laid its muzzle in the little girl's lap, tail tapping the earth every few seconds, but stood at attention when the group walked over. Priscilla patted Red's head once more, and then stood up shyly; Red walked over to Reilena, silent, and she laid a hand on his shoulder. Tifa knelt before Priscilla with a calm smile.  
  
"Now what was it that you wanted?" she asked; peering over her shoulder, she explained to Cloud. "She wouldn't say a word until you were with us." He bowed his head once, and Tifa stood aside as Priscilla walked up to Cloud. He looked down at her, and she held her hands behind her back, eyes on her feet.  
  
"Are you okay now?" Cloud asked. Priscilla nodded.  
  
"Ummm...thanks for helping me," she answered, finally glancing up at Cloud. "And uh...I'm sorry I mistook you all for the Shinra..." Cloud waved a hand in the air.  
  
"That's all right." Suddenly, Priscilla took Cloud's left hand; silent, he allowed her to open his hand, and she placed a smooth scarlet stone in his palm.  
  
"I'm giving you something _special_," Priscilla continued, nodding toward his hand. Cloud glanced down at the red summon Materia, and then pocketed it. "It's am amulet! Take good care of it, okay?" Again, Cloud nodded.  
  
"Thank you," he replied. Priscilla ginned, brushing her braids off of her shoulder; before she could reply however, loud brass band music cut through the air, and Barret's eyes narrowed, listening closely. Confused looks came over the rest of the party as they too noticed the surpirsingly lively music, and questioned each other on what it could be for.  
  
"What's that music?" Barret muttered aloud. "It sure sounds lively for a town like this."   
  
"Tell me about it," Reilena added, shaking her head. "What's all the fuss about?"  
  
"Oh, that?" Priscilla waved a hand upwards, toward the direction of the music, and rolled her eyes. "I've been listening to that for the past couple days. They're rehearsing for the reception of the new Shinra president," she explained. Barret's eyes immediately narrowed, and he lifted his gun-arm, growling.  
  
"Rufus!?" he muttered; Priscilla nodded. "I gotta pay my respects." He glanced over the rest of the party, and was surprised to see that they were all watching the little girl closely. Lowering his arm, Barret sighed as Priscilla walked by him, staring over the sea with her hands behind her back.  
  
"Grandma and Grandpa told me that this beach was beautiful when they were small," she continued; she spoke with an air of maturity beyond her years, and the group listened closely. "After Shinra built that city above, the sun stopped shining here, and the water got polluted..." agitated, Priscilla kicked the sand, wiping at her eyes. "I was raised on that story, and hate Shinra so much I...I could die!" she finished, turning back to the group as she wiped stray tears from her eyes. Aerith sighed, kneeling down, and held her arms out; Priscilla rushed up to Aerith and hugged her, crying quietly. Aerith looked down on the child as she stroked her hair, and glanced up at the group; Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Barret, and Reilena all wore the same look of confusion, while Red was shaking his mane in thought.  
  
"You don't think Rufus is thinking about crossing the ocean from here, too...do you?" she asked; the question was aimed at Cloud, and he shrugged, shaking his head. Tifa sighed, her arms crossed, and tapped her fingers on her elbows.  
  
"So does that mean Sephiroth already crossed the ocean?" she muttered. Red whuffed as he walked up to Cloud, and sat tall on his haunches, staring up at the mercenary.  
  
"Cloud, didn't you finish Rufus off?" he asked. Again, Cloud shook his head, violently this time, and Barret turned his eyes to the tower; nearby, Yuffie and Reilena remained silent, not knowing what to say.  
  
"Well, no matter what, we have to get to the city above," he said, looking down at the little girl embracing Aerith. "Could we climb the tower to get there?"  
  
"No! No!" Priscilla shook her head as she pushed off of Aerith, and stared up at Barret incredulously. "There's a high voltage current running underneath the tower - it's dangerous, so don't go near it!" Barret held his arms up in surrender, and Priscilla suddenly looked down at her feet, brow furrowed. "Though if I can get Mr. Dolphin to help you..." Looking back up, Priscilla grinned at the troupe before running off toward the beach. "Follow me!" she yelled, waving a hand in the air.   
  
Aerith rose to her feet, brushing off her skirt, and glanced over at Cloud, just as Tifa clapped a hand on his shoulder with a slight laugh. "A high voltage tower...guess this means Cloud'll be all right," she teased. Aerith nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yeah, we better leave it to Cloud!"   
  
"We're counting on you," Red added, and then backed away to allow Cloud access to the beach. Cloud shook his head, glaring across the group, and was met with several toothy smiles.  
  
"Hey now, wait a second!" he shouted; Yuffie shook her head and pushed Cloud on.  
  
"Go on, get! Priscilla's waiting!" Cloud didn't fight back, but stood up and walked down the steps to the beach himself, shaking his head. Barret followed seconds later, leaving the girls and Red standing alone near the beach steps.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Figures they'd send me off on a solo mission," Cloud grumbled to himself. He approached Priscilla quietly, and the little girl raised a hand in the air, watching the sea.  
  
"Wait a minute." Putting the first two fingers of her left hand in her mouth, Priscilla let out a high-pitched whistle. Cloud grimaced, the sound almost too much for him, and then watched Priscilla in awe. The young child was in waist-deep water; as he watched, Priscilla whispered to the creature, a hand lightly stroking its side, and then pointed to the tower.  
  
The dolphine dove back into deeper waters, and Priscilla held her hands behind her back, loose. Suddenly the dolphin leapt out of the waters, nearly touching the highest platform of the tower, and then swam back to Priscilla. Cloud could hear the little girl's giggles as the dolphin nuzzled her shoulder, his wide at the stunt he'd just seen.  
  
"Now ain't that something," a deep voice said. Startled, Cloud peered over his shoulder to see Barret walking toward the shore, whistling in surprise as he shook his head. "I ain't never seen no dolphin jump like _that_!" Noticing Cloud's shock, Barret shrugged. "Didn't mean to sneak up on yas." Cloud replied with a silent nod, and both men turned to Priscilla; she jogged up to Cloud and Barret with a proud grin.  
  
"Pretty cool, huh?" She shrugged a shoulder, confident. "Whenever I whistle, Mr. Dolphin will jump for me." Reaching up, she pulled a necklace over her head and held it out to Cloud. "Here, Cloud! This is for you!" Confused, Cloud took the necklace.  
  
"A gift? What am I supposed to do with it?" he asked. Priscilla giggled.  
  
"Silly! It's a whistle, set at the frequency my whistle is, so when you use it, Mr. Dolphin will jump." Cloud placed the chain around his neck, and studied the whistle. A long reed with an opening on the end, it resembled a miniature piccolo, but without the note holes. When Priscilla cleared her throat however, Cloud dropped the whistle and watched as she pointed again toward the tower. "Now see that rod sticking out at the top?" she asked, gesturing towrad the platform the dolphin had nearly touched. "If you jump just right, you can climb to the top of the town without being shocked." Cloud nodded; Barret clapped a hand on Cloud's shoulder with a chuckle.  
  
"Good luck there, Cloud," he said. "If you make it up there, we'll all follow you."  
  
"Of course. Thank you," he replied, speaking to both Priscilla and Barret. Cloud then made his way to the water, was about to dive in when Barret jogged up behind him. Cloud stopped; Barret blew out a sigh.  
  
"Sorry, but I just remembered," he began, holding his hand out, "but this PHS will break if it gets wet. Lemme hold onto it for ya." Cloud handed over the phone, bowed his head once, and then dove into the water, swimming toward the tower. Barret let out a sigh of relief as he strode back to Priscilla. Silent, Barret and Priscilla watched as Cloud reached the tower. A shrill whistle pierced the air, and Priscilla smiled; seconds later, the dolphin leapt up underneath Cloud, lifting him up to the platform. He leapt aboard just before the dolphin began its descent back into the waters.  
  
"That is one amazin' dolphin," Barret muttered. Priscilla nodded.  
  
"Mr. Dolphin's my best friend." Turning to Barret, she smiled as she bowed her head in respect. "And I wish you and your friends the best of luck as well," she continued. "I've given the alternate directions to Reilena - she'll show you the way to Junon." Barret grinned, and patted Priscilla's hair good-naturedly.  
  
"Thanks, kiddo." With that, he jogged back up the beach steps; Tifa, Red, Yuffie, Aerith, and Reilena were ready and waiting. Barret promptly turned to Reilena with a confident grin. "So where's we headin'?"  
  
"Follow me," she answered, and dashed down an eastern alleyway, Aerith and Red close behind. Tifa, Barret, and Yuffie quickly caught up, and tailed the trio ahead of them closely.  
  
As she led her friends out of the harbor and into the upper backstreets of Junon, Reilena noticed the glow of her Materia pendant gradually growing brighter. _I hope this isn't a bad omen._


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: Cloud, Tifa, and co. are copyright SquareEnix, Co. Reilena Gainsborough is co. Vinja Ryou.

* * *

_Clang_. Shoulder. Twirl. Another _clang_. Throw. Catch. Twirl. Shoulder. Click the heels together as they stood at attention, solemn but blank stares. Before the soldiers, Heidegger applauded while their commander merely nodded; President Rufus Shinra didn't seem at all amused.  
  
"Good work," he finally muttered, casually flicking his golden-blonde hair from his eyes. Turning to Heidegger, the young president continued in a quiet voice. "Once the words gets out that Sephiroth's been seen here, Cloud and his friends will show up, too..." Heidegger shook his head, and Rufus merely stared at him.  
  
"Pshaw! We'll crush them the moment we see them!" he replied, slamming a fist in his hand for emphasis.  
  
"You _do_ realize that we can't have them getting in our way," Rufus added.  
  
"Of course," Heidegger laughed. "Leave it up to me, sir!" He burst out laughing; Rufus arched an eyebrow, unfazed.  
  
"I _thought_ I told you to stop that ridiculous laugh," he muttered. Heidegger stared at the president helplessly, and Rufus rolled his eyes as he turned on his heel.  
  
"Gyaaah!" Heidegger growled once Rufus was aboard the ship. Eyeing the soldiers nearby, he shoved one violently, and then followed his boss onto the ship as well.  
  
Silent up to this point, the soldiers' commander turned to his troops, saluting. "All right! Dismissed!" he declared. The soldiers let out deep sighs of relief, relaxing their stance as they shouldered their rifles.  
  
Cloud kept his hat pulled low over his face, even as he watched Heidegger and Rufus board the ship. Listening to the soldiers' gossip with half an ear, he thought he caught Heidegger's name and decided to listen a bit closer after all.  
  
"Sheez, Heidegger's really been edgy lately," a recruit said in a quiet tone. The soldiers stared at him, wide-eyed; Cloud listened casually, distracted for a second by a flash of red in the dock's alleyway; had that really been Red XIII?  
  
"Oh yeah man, I totally know what you're talking about," another soldier continued, rubbing his goatee. "It's all 'cause Hojo disappeared; just left a letter of resignation and hightailed it outta the Shinra." Near Cloud, a tanned recruit nodded.  
  
"Yup, and Heidegger's been forced into overlooking _that_ investigation, too," he added. Before he could say more though, the commander returned, a gruff look on his face.   
  
"Hey! I _thought_ you were dismissed!" he ordered. "Now hurry up! We've got things to do!"  
  
After the rest of the soldiers had saluted and followed their boss, Cloud made his way to the ship. Hiding behind a pillar, he peered about. Clear; he strode up the bridge to the ship and walked down to the storage room. Once inside, he wiped a forearm across his brow.  
  
"We'll cross the ocean, to the new continent...even if we are wearing Shinra uniforms," he said to himself, picking at the royal blue shirt he wore as he rose to his feet. Cloud had intended on heading straight up to the main deck, but as he passed one particularly noisy row of crates, he peered down the aisle, his eyes widened.  
  
"Urrgh...this is why...I hate ships," a childish girl's voice uttered, just seconds before she leaned over another box. Cloud didn't need to be next to her to know that she was seasick, and he walked quickly down the path.  
  
"Yuffie?" he asked; immediately the sailor glanced up, a hopeful sheen in her eyes as she wiped at her lips.  
  
"Oh hey Cloud," she answered, her voice shaky. "You don't happen to have any tranquilizers, d'ya?" Cloud shook his head, and Yuffie pushed him away, one hand over her mouth. "Then get away from me, unless it's an emergency," she mumbled, bending over the crate once more. "Where are the others?"  
  
"How would _I_ know?" Cloud replied.  
  
"Well, aren't they hiding somewhere around here?" Yuffie snapped. "This was Rei and Tifa's idea, anyway..." trailing off, she let out a loud retch that made even Cloud a bit queasy. "Ugh...how should I know anyway..."  
  
Cloud strode back from the nauseous girl and quickly made his way to the stairs. Jogging up, he wondered if what he had seen on the dock really was true - if it had indeed been Red - when he crashed into another sailor.  
  
"Uh!" Another female voice - the sailor quickly replaced her cap, but Cloud had already caught sight of the telltale rose bow.  
  
"Aerith, right?" She nodded.  
  
"Did you see the airship in Junon?" she asked. Cloud nodded.  
  
"That really was something...do you think I could get on it?"  
  
A shrug. "I dunno...keep hoping." Aerith clapped her hands together, eyes shining with the excitement of a girl of twelve; something else in her eyes made Cloud a bit uneasy. He couldn't explain it - was it that same youthful wonder, coupled with the wisdom she held that was giving him this uneasiness? Aerith didn't notice Cloud's apprehension, but instead strode off toward another sailor - one look at the twinge of scarlet hair peeking out from underneath the cap told Cloud that it was most likely Reilena - and he started off again for the bow of the ship.  
  
After running into both Tifa and Red XIII - who was looking more than a little loopy from having to stand on his hind legs alone - and listening to Aerith and Reilena's warning about Barret's condition, Cloud finally made it to the front of the ship; to his surprise, a large burly sailor was kneeling underneath the window, liestening to the animated conversation within the captain's chambers. Cloud began to reach for his sword, but stopped when he saw the familiar gun arm. As if on cue, Barret beckoned Cloud over; the mercenary dropped to his knees and slunk over to Barret. The anger was evident even in his hushed tone as he spoke to Cloud.  
  
"Look Cloud - Rufus and Heidegger. They're this close, but we can't do a damn thing to 'em," he muttered. A laugh; both men peeked up to see Heidegger holding his belly, chortling gleefully. "How can he!?" Barret growled, clenching his fist. "Goin' off and laughin' like that! Because of him...Biggs...Wedge...Jessie..." Trailing off, Barret suddenly stood and stomped toward the boat's railing. Cloud followed close behind, but remained silent as Barret stared out over the ocean. As he raised his fist anew, Cloud saw the slight glimmer of angry tears in his eyes. "God! I can't take it anymore!" Turning on his heel, the infuriated Barret started for the captain's chambers. "I'm gonna settle things here and now..."  
  
A siren overhead suddenly went off. Both men froze, fearing the worst. Inside the captain's quarters, Rufus and Heidegger stared at a Shinra soldier who'd just entered.  
  
"_Emergency alert_!" a prerecorded voice shouted. "_Reports of a suspicious character found! Those not on detail, search the ship and report when found! I repeat - suspicious character found on board! Those not on detail, search the ship and report when found_!"  
  
"Damn, did they find us?" Barret asked, turning to Cloud. When Cloud shook his head, Barret's brow furrowed for a moent. "Do they mean...Tifa and the others!?" Slapping a hand to his forehead, Barret ran for the main dock, leaving Cloud to run after him.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Is everyone alright?" Tifa called; when she'd heard the alarm, she immediately searched for the rest of the team. Aerith, Reilena, and Red had been easy to find. Red was sent to storage to drag Yuffie up, and now...  
  
"You all right?" Barret hollered. Aerith spun, an eyebrow lifted.  
  
"Huh?" Tifa waved Barret and Cloud over, stifling a giggle at Barret's sailor suit, and conducted a quick head count.  
  
"Everyone's here...right?" Seven nods; Barret's face darkened.  
  
"You don't think that suspicious character is...Sephiroth, do you?" he mused aloud. Tifa's eyed widened as both Red and Yuffie shrugged. Behind them, Aerith slung an arm around her sister's shoulders, trying to keep Reilena on her feet; the younger Gainsborough was deathly pale, the Materia around her neck taking on a smoky ebony hue. Only Cloud remained unmoved, watching the Gainsboroughs carefully.  
  
"...Let's find out," he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. At his feet, Red nodded, having shed his sailor suit.  
  
"It's the most logical thing to do." Then... "Who's going to go?"  
  
"N, not me," Yuffie croaked; she was still standing at the ship's railing, her face an odd shade of green. "I don't even _like_ Sephiroth anyway. And besid...ugh..." Her eyes wide, Yuffie threw her head over the railing, and the group turned to leave her to her seasickness.  
  
"So Yuffie's out," Red mused. Cloud bowed his head, and then looked up, his gaze travelling right to the Gainsborough sisters. Aerith was still at her sister's side, and Reilena hadn't moved from where she stood; still pale, she clutched the pendant, her eyes closed as if in prayer. Desperate, Aerith looked up at the troupe, her worry evident.  
  
"She hasn't said anything to me since that announcement," she said, voice trembling. "She held the pendant, closed her eyes...every few seconds Rei'll mutter something, but I can't make it out..." She stopped, standing beside Reilena, as Cloud walked up to them; setting his hands on Reilena's shoulders, Cloud peered down at her face. Her eyes twitched from behind closed lids, and he knew that there was some kind of inner conflict. One look up at Aerith told him that she'd already known, and he sighed out of necessity.  
  
"Aerith...Reilena...and Barret," Cloud stated. "I want you to accompany me. Tifa, Red, you stay here with Yuffie. Hide if you must - do not allow yourselves to be captured by the Shinra." His hands still on Reilena, Cloud looked over; Tifa and Red nodded solemnly, while Barret walked up to Aerith's side, charging up his Gaitling Gun. Aerith unsheathed her Striking Stick and held it at the ready, though she kept a close eye on her little sister. Taking a breath, Cloud looked back down at Reilena. "Rei...can you hear me?" he asked in a quiet tone.  
  
Her eyes continued to twitch, hands clasped about the smoky Materia. Though her lips moved on occasion, no sound came out. Cloud's gaze never wavered; finally, Reilena nodded, albeit hesitant, and Cloud exhaled.   
  
"Good. I have a question for you," Cloud continued. No response. "Will you come with Barret and myself to find the suspicious person?"   
  
Silence...finally Reilena whispered, "Aerith?" Cloud glanced over at Aerith; she immediately took her place beside Cloud, and ran a hand gently down her sister's cheek.  
  
"I'm right here Rei...what is it?"  
  
Her eyes were still closed. "You'll be with us?"  
  
"Yes." Reilena sighed, sounding as if she had the burdens of the world on her shoulders.  
  
"The person...I...I know who..." Reilena shook her head violently and reached up, shoving Cloud away. Cloud stepped back, as if he'd expected her reaction, and held an arm up to block the group. In stunned silence, they watched Reilena as she turned on her heel and fled toward a flight of stairs, opposite the sailors' storage deck.  
  
"Where does that lead to?" Cloud asked, unmoving.  
  
"The cargo hold," Red replied; noticing the terrified look on Aerith's face, he whimpered softly. "Aerith, you don't think..."  
  
She shook her head, fingers tightened around the staff. "I don't think. I _know_." Beside her, Cloud nodded; on her other side, Barret growled low in his throat.  
  
"...Sephiroth," Cloud muttered, almost to himself. A glance at his partners told him they were ready, and he waved them over. "All right, let's go."  
  
"Right behind ya!" Barret answered, his gun-arm set and ready. Nearby, Aerith tensed, though her eyes still bore her worry, and followed the two men into the cargo hold.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
He dropped dead, eyes wide, a crimson smile below his chin. The soldier's killer shook his head, sword in hand, and turned to enter the captain's hold when he stopped. Footsteps - light, female - had echoed out just behind him. Smiling, he peered over his shoulder; Reilena Gainsborough stood before him, her hands clasped over the Materia pendant. She blinked once, as if entranced.  
  
"...Sephiroth...why?" she whispered, having noticed the dead man on the ground nearby. He smiled softly as he walked up to her and touched her cheek. Reilena leaned into his touch, and Sephiroth managed to coax her into his arms. He glanced down at the young woman almost sadly, realizing what would have to be done soon, and stroked her hair; she laid her head on his shoulder and let out a soft breath.  
  
"I would never hurt you intentionally," Sephiroth began, tilting Reilena's chin up the slightest bit. "You do know that, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Yes, but...how does that explain this?" she asked. Sephiroth laughed under his breath; something in his eyes didn't look right, and Reilena tried to pull away. Instead, Sephiroth held her tighter, and looked over her shoulder at the barrage of additional footsteps approaching, an eyebrow arched in confusion.  
  
"Who are you?" Startled, Reilena turned, still in Sephiroth's arms, and gasped. Cloud, Barret, and Aerith stood before them, weapons drawn. As she watched the scene play out, Reilena became distantly aware of the glow of her Materia pendant - it was turning light red.  
  
"You don't remember me!?" Cloud yelled, throwing an arm out in emphasis. Sephiroth shook his head - his right hand tightened around the Masamune, while his left held Reilena's hand. "I'm Cloud!"  
  
"Cloud..." Sephiroth muttered thoughtfully. Cloud sighed, shaking his head irritably; nearby, Barret and Aerith stood ready to attack, though Aerith seemed unsure with Reilena around. She kept a steady gaze on her sister, all the while clutching her weapon should she need it.  
  
"Sephiroth!" The silver-haired man glanced up, and Cloud took a breath, holding his sword at the ready. "What are you doing?" What are you _thinking_!?" Without waiting, he switched his glance to Reilena, shocked at her apparent betrayal. _I should've known never to trust her..._ "And you, Rei! What're you doing with Sephiroth!?"  
  
She regarded the team with a seemingly blank stare; letting out a shocked gasp, Aerith held her Striking Stick out so as to hold Barret and Cloud back. "_Don't_ touch her! _Don't touch Reilena_!" she ordered.  
  
"You shittin' me!?" Barret retorted. "Aerith, she's with the enemy!" Aerith shook her head.  
  
"Rei's been entranced," she replied with a cold certainty. Barret's eyebrows shot up, and he glanced over at the quiet couple, just as Aerith and Cloud both growled; Sephiroth now bore the Masamune full out, and held the immense blade before Reilena. Confident that no one would dare attack, he lowered his face next to Reilena's and smiled coldly. Reilena sighed, her eyes closing partly as she leaned into Sephiroth's embrace, oblivious to the blade now essentially pinning her to him.  
  
"The time...is now," Sephiroth whispered, the smirk never leaving his face. He lifted the blade to Reilena's eye level - still she remained oblivious - and drew a finger first down the sword, and then her face. The trio stood before him, shocked into silence - he noticed however, with growing irritability, that the woman seemed to be praying.  
  
Sure enough, Aerith was praying; however, she was praying to her sister, trying to find a way through Sephiroth's apparent hypnosis. "_Reilena...please_!" Aerith pleaded mentally. "_If you can hear me, look up. Raise your head, and look at me_."  
  
"Huh?" Reilena blinked drowsily, unaware of her surroundings. She raised her head and glanced out before her, her gaze first meeting Aerith's; Aerith smiled, knowing that Reilena had been awakened.  
  
Still hazy, Reilena focused her sight, and her eyes immediately widened at the sight of the Masamune at her throat - or what looked like the Masamune, anyway. Terrified, Reilena went to shove the blade away, and was instead pulled back against someone's chest. Glancing up, she saw what looked to be Sephiroth - but something was off, this wasn't the real deal...  
  
_Shit, she's awake_. Without a word, 'Sephiroth' threw what looked to be a harmless jewel on the ground, and then snatched Reilena's wrist roughly. She opened her mouth to scream, and was silenced by a hand on her mouth. 'Sephiroth' held Reilena tightly, lifting them both into the air and out of the room as the jewel exploded - Jenova-BIRTH let out an inhuman scream, regarding Aerith, Barret, and Cloud with hungry jowls.  
  
"'Bout damned time," Barret growled, readying his gun. Next to him, Aerith tensed, angry and worried.  
  
"Careful. We don't know what this thing can do," Cloud cautioned; not even a moment later, Jenova-BIRTH unleashed a blue laser, and Cloud held his Hardedge up, narrowly blocking the attack. Lowering the blade, Cloud narrowed his eyes, teeth clenched, and jaw set.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
_Where the hell is it!? It said it would take the girl and be here before Jenova was hatched_! Sephiroth thought angrily, pacing back and forth on the front deck of the ship. His right hand twitched slightly, reaching for the true Masamune, but he shook his head; it was bad enough that his false clone had been discovered. Better to keep the sword sheathed for the time being.  
  
Footsteps. "Master Sephiroth!" a voice called. Turning sharply, Sephiroth stood tall, a smile forming on his lips as his clone - now cloaked - strode up to him briskly. In the clone's arms was Reilena Gainsborough, in a semi-trance. Sephiroth bowed his head, reaching for the girl.  
  
"You may leave now." The clone nodded, handing the girl over, and quickly ran out of sight. Shaking his head at the sight of the clone, Sephiroth turned his glance downward; Reilena lay prone in his arms, her sanguine hair streaming down from her head, eyes only partially open. She was only unconscious - it didn't look like the clone had harmed her at all during the confrontation - and he smiled calmly, laying a hand before her eyes. Uttering a low chant under his breath, Sephiroth took his hand away; Reilena's eyes twitched underneath their lids, and slowly she blinked.  
  
"...unh..." She groaned, her eyes adjusting to the setting sunlight, and glanced up when she realized she was no longer on the ground. Her gaze met up with a familiar pair of deep green eyes, and yet she growled, tried to climb out of his grasp. Much to her chagrin, Sephiroth only held her closer, kept a calm watch on her. Irritated, she glared up at him. "Would it kill you to put me down now?" she snapped.  
  
Sephiroth nodded. "I believe it would." Reilena laughed, snide.  
  
"Oh, I'm _sure_," she mocked. "And who would you be? Another fake? Someone to just take me out of the fight, to leave my sister down there to fend for herself, while I'm up here wondering what the _hell_ is going on?" The man chuckled; Reilena snarled ferally. "Lemme down, _now_! I'm not about to be taken out of here by a phony!"  
  
"But that's where you're mistaken," Sephiroth replied; nonetheless though, he lowered his arms, and Reilena leapt to the ground, tense. Still, she remained before him, her glare unshaken, and he allowed his gaze to drift over her before returning to her own. "For you see, I am no false one. I'm not the phony." Reilena arched an eyebrow, a hand lowering toward her weapons, and Sephiroth shrugged.  
  
"Prove it then. If you're not a fake, then _prove_ it," she replied tersely. Sephiroth regarded her with a slight air of curiosity, and smiled again.   
  
"Prove it, you say?" he asked. Reilena nodded - her hand was ready to grab one of her daggers - and tensed herself.   
  
Sephiroth reached for her right wrist; Reilena leapt back, for that was the hand she had been preparing to attack with. As she tried to regain herself, Sephiroth easily took her left wrist in his hand, pulling Reilena toward him; curiously enough, he placed his free hand on her hip, holding her to him, and looked down at her. Utterly confused, she glanced first at the hand on her waist, then up at Sephiroth; he laughed softly, setting her hand on his shoulder, and then took her chin in his left hand, kissing her gently.  
  
_Now_ Reilena remembered it - five years ago. The SOLDIER formal. She had left Aerith, gone to the balcony in a fit of childish jealousy, and he'd come; he had helped dry her frustrated tears, asked her to dance, and had kissed her good-night before leaving just as suddenly as he had arrived.   
  
She felt his hand tighten on her hip, pressing her to him, and she returned his kiss, her eyes closing lightly. Reilena slipped her arm across Sephiroth's shoulders, just as she had before, and was almost reluctant to let him go. He broke the kiss just as gently as he'd begun, but kissed her lips once more before glancing down at her. "Do you believe me now?" he asked, quiet. Reilena nodded, resting her forehead on his chest; a moment later though, she pulled back, and gestured below deck.  
  
"What's going on, though?" she asked. "Your..._clone_, for lack of a better word, wouldn't tell me a thing, only said that 'I'd never hurt you intentionally.'"   
  
"Because I never would," Sephiroth replied, tucking a loose strand of saguine hair behind Reilena's ear. She shook her head, indignant.  
  
"That's not what I meant," she argued. "What is this all about? The killings - I saw dead soldiers, sailors strewn across the floors, your clone attacking one right in front of me...what is the meaning of all this?!" Sephiroth bowed his head, seemingly saddened, and Reilena tilted her head in an attempt to look into his eyes. "I only want to know if you're behind this or not..."  
  
"I am," he muttered.   
  
"_What_?" Reilena backed away, reaching for her weapons once again; to her shock, Sephiroth gazed up at her, and she dropped her arms at her sides. "So this is all your doing," she whispered, incredulous. Again, Sephiroth nodded. "What's it all for? Why?"  
  
Sephiroth closed his eyes, a smile lilting on his face as he brushed his silver bangs from his eyes. "I'm not a criminal," he said, "so please wipe that thought from your mind. This...this killing...it is necessary. For you see, these people held secrets from me - secrets about my life, about my childhood, and I couldn't retrieve them. They wouldn't allow it." He stopped before Reilena, and took her hand in his; she didn't argue, didn't move, and he continued. "These people - the Shinra - refused to tell me about myself, about my past...Reilena, they practically _invited_ me to use force against them in order to get information that should be available to me, for it is about myself. Things I never knew..."  
  
"And the people aboard this ship..."  
  
"Were informants," Sephiroth replied, quiet. "They refused to tell me anything - provoked me. I would never attack for no reason, you must believe me on that." He brought Reilena's hand to his lips, kissed her palm, then her fingers, and lowered it again. "Please, believe me."   
  
_Do I have a choice on the matter_? she thought, her gaze downcast for the moment. Reilena remembered Cloud's story as well - the raid and murder of the town of Nibelheim; Sephiroth's attempted murder of Tifa; and his abrupt disappearance. _There's so much that's contrary to what he's said, and yet...yet it makes sense in some sort..I...I don't know what to believe anymore_.  
  
A hand on her cheek; Reilena glanced up, and saw Sephiroth gazing back at her with an almost childish curiosity. He let his hand drift down her face, landing on her shoulder, and sighed. "I must leave you now," he said, whispering. Reilena sighed; he closed his eyes, guiltily. "I swear it to you though...I will explain everything."  
  
"'In due time.' I know what you were going to say," Reilena muttered. Sephiroth smiled, although it still retained a bit of his guilt, and leaned forward. He dropped a light kiss on her forehead; suddenly, Reilena felt drowsy, although she could've sworn she heard Sephiroth telling her something else. She glanced up though half-closed eyes - he simply looked back down on her - and fell forward, unconscious.  
  
Reilena was out - Sephiroth was certain. The spell would only last for a few moments...just enough time for him to leave, and for Cloud and the rest of his people to find her here, unharmed. Sephiroth placed an arm behind her back, bracing Reilena as he lowered her to the ground, and stood up over her. _Beautiful, even in sleep...she will be perfect_, he thought; before he left the ship though, he took a second glance at the Materia pendant he'd given her.  
  
For some reason or another, it had taken on a deep blood-red hue.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"_Die already_!" Barret hollered, letting loose with a rain of gunfire. Before him, the creature called Jenova-BIRTH gave one final, pathetic scream, and then fell to the ground with a shudder.  
  
Nearby, Cloud and Aerith kept a close watch on the creature, ever suspicious. Cloud kept the Hardedge drawn as he took Aerith's hand, helping her circle the fallen monster, and they rejoined Barret. The burly AVALANCHE leader was resetting his gunarm, and glanced up at the younger pair with a wary eye. He nodded toward Jenova-BIRTH, his gaze fixed on Cloud.  
  
"What the hell _is_ that thing?" he asked. Aerith gave a helpless shrug, replacing her Striking Stick. Cloud didn't reply; instead, he circled the downed creature again, holding his sword readily.  
  
"...Jenova," he breathed; Barret and Aerith looked at each other, confused. To himself, Cloud muttered, "You mean...you've been walkin' around with this thing? What're you planning to do here?" He stopped, kneeling beside the creature's head, and ducked so as to gaze into its eyes.  
  
It breathed; Cloud shot to his feet, heard Aerith and Barret preparing for a second assault, and readied his own weapon. It was a work of wasted anxiety; Jenova-BIRTH let out a sigh, the final shudder of life floating away. An eyebrow raised in confusion, Cloud lowered his sword as the creature vanished inexplicably.  
  
A flash of rose-pink; Aerith strode into the place where the monster had just been, and knelt down. Seconds later, she returned to the two men, and held out a smooth red stone. "It's the Ifrit summon," she said quietly. "If you don't mind, I'd like to hold onto it until I find my sister." A glance between them; Barret and Cloud nodded simultaneously. Aerith silently slipped the Materia into a pocket on her scarlet denim minijacket, and turned back to Cloud solemnly. "What do we do now?" she asked.  
  
Cloud issued a low sigh, replacing the Hardedge. "I...think it would be best if we checked on the rest of our party before we look for Reilena," he said. Aerith nodded once; Barret gaped.  
  
"The fuck are you on, Cloud?" he bellowed, clapping a rough hand down on the youth's shoulder; Cloud stopped in his tracks, listening. "When Aerith was taken by the Turks, you was just about havin' kittens! An' now her sister's gone with that psycho and _you don't care_?" Cloud shrugged Barret's hand away, continuing toward the stairs; bewildered, Barret turned to Aerith. "_You're_ worried about Rei, aintcha?"  
  
Aerith nodded, though her face retained its emotionless mask. "More than you can fathom, Barret." She held a hand up before Barret could suggest searching, and shook her head. "She is alive, well, and on this ship still. However, it is not her physical state I am most concerned with."  
  
Barret stood in silence, watching Aerith walk to catch up to Cloud, and tried to make sense out of her seemingly calm words. "If she isn't worried abou...oh _shit_," Barret muttered to himself, having realized Aerith's words. Swallowing back a breath, he ran to catch up with the pair.   
  
He didn't have to run far; Barret caught up with Cloud and Aerith halfway up the steps. Tifa stood before them, her face a show of anxiety, and Barret readied his gunarm. "What the hell's goin' on?" he yelled up.  
  
Aerith, Cloud, and Tifa peered back; Cloud spoke in a dead calm. "It's Rei," he said. "Tifa says Yuffie spotted her lying on the upper deck..."  
  
"Then why the hell we standin' 'round?!" A glance between themselves, and Aerith strode up to Tifa quietly.  
  
"Can you lead us to her?" she asked. Tifa nodded, motioning for the men to follow as well, and jogged up the steps, Aerith right beside her. The sunlight struck Aerith, Barret, and Cloud suddenly, yet they followed Tifa still, blinking in order to get used to the light.   
  
The group passed the doorway to the lower deck and looked about; Yuffie wasn't hugging the rails. In fact, no one was around.  
  
"Here." Tifa's command shattered the silence. The trio followed her to the very front of the ship, and Aerith issued a low gasp, running ahead. The men remained back, allowing Tifa to accompany Aerith, and held back their own concerned gazes.  
  
Red XIII and Yuffie were seated beside Reilena's prone form, Red occasionally nuzzling her face. They both looked up as Aerith dropped to her knees beside her sister, and took Rei's hand in both of hers. Closing her eyes, Aerith spoke to her sister silently. _Rei...Reilena, it's alright. You can wake up now...we're all here_. She glanced back down at Reilena; the younger woman's eyes were moving underneath closed eyelids, and Aerith squeezed her hand again. _C'mon Reilena...what's the matter_?   
  
_It's him_, Reilena answered; her voice was weak within Aerith's mind.   
  
_Who? Who's him_? Aerith asked urgently. She opened her eyes, glancing down at her sister; Reilena began to stir, breaking her and Aerith's telepathic conversation, and opened her eyes. Aerith immediately dropped a hand to her sister's cheek, brushing away her sanguine hair, and smiled. "How are you, Rei?" she asked.  
  
Reilena shook her head slowly; behind her, Red helped her sit up, and Reilena glanced about. Aerith was beside her, holding her hand tightly; Yuffie and Tifa were on her opposite side, joined by Red; in front of her were Barret and Cloud, both seemingly concerned, though only Barret's seemed genuine. Groaning under her breath, Reilena took Tifa's hand and rose shakily to her feet; after she was sure she could stand on her own, she turned to Aerith. "I could be better, but I'm not hurt," she said. Aerith nodded, her smile remaining; turning to Cloud, Reilena bowed her head. "Cloud..."  
  
"What happened to ya?" Barret interrupted. Reilena looked over at the AVALANCHE leader and sighed.  
  
"I...well...it's tough to explain," she began. "All I really remember is seeing you, Cloud, and Aerith standing before me...then I remember speaking to Sephiroth...and now here I am." Again, Reilena looked over at Cloud; he stared at her, emotionless save for a mere shrug.   
  
"So it _was_ Sephiroth," he muttered. Reilena nodded.  
  
"Yes. I remember...before I passed out the first time...something about it being time for something."  
  
"....time...is now?" Cloud said, arching an eyebrow. Reilena bowed her head.  
  
"Something like that, but it wasn't really Sephiroth who you saw saying that," she replied. Cloud opened his mouth to object, but Barret let out an annoyed sigh, throwing his arms up in the air as he turned to Cloud irritably.  
  
"I don't know WHAT the hell's goin' on!" he shouted.  
  
"Neither do we," Red answered; beside him, Yuffie nodded once before clutching an arm to her torso. Red let out a dismissive whuff as the young ninja became seasick, and sat on his haunches. Nearby, Tifa leaned an arm on Reilena's shoulder, while Aerith stood close by, almost guarding her sister. Barret kept his glare on Cloud, even though the younger man seemed unfazed.  
  
"Why don't you explain to me what's happened so far?" he muttered. Cloud shrugged, glancing about the group; he was met with nods all around, and he sighed.  
  
"Fine, but don't interrupt me while I'm speaking," Cloud replied. Barret nodded, folding his arms, and waited. Cloud inhaled deeply, turning his gaze to Tifa and the Gainsboroughs. "Sephiroth went off searching for the Promised Land, so that he could become ruler of the planet...but that was five years ago," he said, just as Reilena slipped a hand over her mouth. He nodded once, continuing. "Then, as we all know, Sephiroth came back and killed President Shinra. Just now, Aerith, Barret, and myself saw Sephiroth, and Reilena apparently spoke with him. He was carrying Jenova with him."   
  
"Jenova?" Red spoke up. "You mean to tell us that Sephiroth is carrying that...?" Cloud nodded, glancing back at Reilena; she said nothing, and Cloud sighed.  
  
"That much I _do_ know," he finished. "He told me years ago that he wants to go to the Promised Land with his mother, Jenova...and I guess that's about it." Red nodded, and turned to Reilena expectantly; when she didn't add anything to Cloud's story, he sneezed once, and looked up at the rest of the group.  
  
"_Dock workers - we will be docking in Costa del Sol in five minutes. Prepare for docking_," a calm, pre-recorded voice said over the speakers. "_I repeat - we will be docking in Costa del Sol in five minutes. Prepare for docking_."  
  
"Whoa!" Barret cried. "We'd best hurry and hide somewheres."   
  
"Over here," Tifa called, motioning everyone toward a stack of shipping crates; Yuffie ambled her way over, just out of sight of a few living sailors, and the group hid amongst the wooden boxes. Cloud chanced a look over at Reilena and Aerith; the two sisters were silent, solemn, and he shut his eyes, wondering what Sephiroth had in mind for them next.   
  
_Sephiroth...is alive...the Promised Land...does it really exist...?  
_  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Goddamn, it's hot enough up here!" Barret grumbled, pulling the uniform shirt over his head. Behind the door, he heard the rest of the group echoing their sentiments, and sighed as he pulled on his normal shirt. Wiping his brow with the old sailor one, he unlocked the bathroom door and walked out into the hotel lobby, where the crew was situated. "Feels good to be out of that stuffy uniform," he muttered to himself; looking around the team, he saw that they'd all changed as well, and chucked his suit into a nearby trash bin. "Listen up!" he called. "We're to mingle like normal folks while we're here, a'ight?"  
  
Aerith nodded, covering up a smile. Barret threw her a curious stare, and she shrugged from her chair near Yuffie. "It's nothing - just that you looked so cute in your sailor suit."  
  
The rest of the group burst into laughter. Barret felt his cheeks flush, and tightened his jaw, partly embarassed. "...whaddya mean, _cute_?" he asked gruffly. Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, and Red tried to hide their snickers behind their hands (paws in Red's case), to no avail.  
  
"Well, uh...why don't you just keep the uniform as pyjamas?" Tifa giggled. Barret arched an eyebrow, still tense, and Tifa elbowed Cloud, who sat in the chair beside her. "Right Cloud? Barret shoulda kept it!"  
  
Cloud shook his head and rose from his chair. "Keep your mind on Sephiroth," he replied solemnly; the group was quickly silenced, and Cloud gestured to the door leading out into the town. "Remember, this isn't a vacation; we're here after Sephiroth. I'm going on ahead." With that, he turned crisply on his heel and walked out, leaving the rest of the group in their chairs.   
  
"Hmph," Barret snorted, rolling his eyes. "Cloud...you're always the one who's hangin' around and wastin' time." He glanced over the team, shrugged, and walked on out after Cloud. "I'm skipping this resort." The remaining members glanced at each other; without a word, they got up and ran out after the two men, surprised to see that they were still standing outside the door of the hotel. Rolling her eyes, Tifa walked in between Cloud and Barret, and stood in front of them, hands on her hips.  
  
"So you want us to be on the lookout for Sephiroth, yet you're both standing here," she retorted. "What's the plan, O Fearless Leaders?"  
  
"Whatever it is," Red puffed, "would you kindly hurry? The heat is drying my nose up." Next to him, Aerith knelt down, ruffling his mane as she spoke quietly; the duo walked off to a concession stand nearby, leaving Tifa and Yuffie with Cloud and Barret. Yuffie sighed loudly, pouting.  
  
"If we're not gonna _do_ anything, then what's the point of being here?" she whined. Cloud glanced at her, about to explain yet again, and instead wiped an arm across his brow; he had to agree, it was quite hot here in Costa del Sol. A sideways look at Barret, who was fanning himself with his hand, and he nodded.  
  
"All right," he conceded. "We'll take a break here, and then head out." Glancing toward Aerith and Red, who was content with his bowl of ice water, Cloud continued. "Don't wander too far off!" Aerith nodded in agreement - in front of Cloud and Barret, Tifa smiled, and Yuffie cheered. Cloud shook his head, turned, and walked back into the hotel, followed by Barret; if they weren't going to be leaving, they were going to reserve rooms for the night.  
  
"I must say, thank you for the water again Aerith," Red said, taking a breath in between gulps of water. Aerith smiled, kneeling beside him again, and glanced out across the town. It reminded her almost of home - complete with the children in the streets playing, the small carts with their wares along with the regular stores...but she had to admit that they didn't have a beach back at Sector 5. Sighing to herself, Aerith laid a hand on Red's back as he drank his water, and didn't see the soccer ball in the air until after it had hit Red square in the head. "Oof!"  
  
"Oh jeez lady, I didn't mean to hit your dog!" a little boy yelled, running over with a worried glance. Aerith shook her head, handing him his soccer ball, and patted his shoulder.  
  
"It's alright - I think he's okay," she replied. "Go on and play." Grinning, the boy ran to rejoin his friends, and Aerith sat before Red, holding his muzzle in her hands. "Are you okay?"  
  
Red whuffed, licking his jowls. "I'm alright," he replied, "but it looks like my mane's been messed up." He glanced toward the shadows underneath the hotel's balconies, and motioned to them. "I think I'll go rest under there until we all regroup."   
  
"Fair enough," Aerith agreed. With one last gentle pat, she stood up, brushing her pink skirts, and watched Red cross the street. Once he was situated underneath the rafters, she glanced out to the Materia vendor; Yuffie was arguing with the seller, her face bright red, and Tifa was inside a clothing store, inspecting a yellow sundress. Aerith brushed her hair from her face with a sigh, wiping a bit of sweat from her cheeks, and was about to walk back to the hotel when...  
  
Reilena... She hadn't been at the semi-meeting...which meant..._she's somewhere in town, or...oh no_. Aerith took a deep breath, recollecting her thoughts, and started off for the boating docks, hoping nothing had happened.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"What a long trip," the last sailor complained. Behind him, Rufus and Heidegger strode off the ship; Heidegger wiped at his face with a handkerchief every few seconds, while Rufus merely slipped on a pair of expensive sunglasses. He glanced around the pier with a judging eye; the cargo was stacked everywhere, but neither Cloud nor his team was anywhere to be seen. Rolling his eyes behind his glasses, Rufus turned to the sailors with a curt nod.  
  
"Good work everyone. You are dismissed," he said. Beside him, Heidegger chuckled.  
  
"Hurry up with that!" he bellowed. The sailors saluted immediately.  
  
"Sir, yes sir!" they chanted in unison. Quickly, the group dissolved, each man heading into town, and Rufus folded his arms, looking out over the numerous crates. Heidegger wiped his forehead again, his breathing heavy; Rufus was unmoved.  
  
"I heard Sephiroth was on board," he said, stoic. Heidegger was suddenly very quiet.  
  
"...yes."  
  
Rufus only peered sideways at the bearded, portly man. "And it seems that Cloud and the others were on board as well.  
  
"...yes."  
  
"They all slipped through the cracks." Rufus shook his head, clicking his tongue, chastising. "You messed up big this time, Heidegger."  
  
"I'm...I'm ashamed of myself, sir," Heidegger mumbled, hanging his head. Rufus sighed contemptuously.  
  
"Is that all you can do?" he snapped. "Give one word and apologize for everything? It's pathetic." He was about to continue when a small scraping echoed out from behind a pile of crates. Rufus peered over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised, and turned on his heel. Walking over to the crates, Rufus glanced behind the boxes. No one there. Although he was still apprehensive, Rufus turned back to Heidegger, who was still in place, head hanging. "Grow a backbone, Heidegger..."  
  
"Sir!" A white uniform before him; a sailor gave Rufus a quick salute. "We are ready for departure, sir!"  
  
Rufus nodded; as he went to follow the sailor, he patted Heidegger's shoulder. "_Do_ something. I'll be expecting results." Heidegger nodded, solemn, and Rufus glanced up at the sailor, walking up after him.   
  
He waited until Rufus had left the pier to vent his anger. Letting out an animal growl, Heidegger grabbed several planks and smashed them against the pier, throwing the splintered pieces into the ocean before him, ignoring the sweat pouring down his brow, the stains growing under his armpits and beard. He'd failed Rufus again, and that arrogant little snot had made him feel lower than mud yet again. He was sick and tired of it...and as he glanced up at the skies, he saw the Shinra helicopter flying off toward the mainland.   
  
"Damn it all to hell!" Heidegger screamed. Shoving the pier workers aside, the sweaty suited man ran off the docks and into Costa del Sol, searching for an alternate means of transportation. That damned brat had left without him!  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
_That was close_, Reilena thought, huddled against the crane; she'd been listening in on Rufus and Heidegger's conversation when one of the damned crates had begun to slide across the docks. When she heard footsteps, she'd scurried across the boxes's backsides and made it to the crane just in time to see Rufus peering over the box she'd been hiding behind. Now though, she sat in silence, having listened to Heidegger's temper tantrum, and yet unsure of his whereabouts. _Well, we're not getting anywhere sitting here now, are we_? her conscience argued.  
  
With a sigh, Reilena stood up, brushing her sanguine hair away from her throat, and readjusted the shoulders of her deep-blue off-shoulder shirt; her Materia pendant lay on her chest, shining bright silver, and she blinked a few times to get used to the sunlight as she turned to look out across the dock. Much to her relief, only a few dockworkers were still there, picking up the remnants of Heidegger's fury, and she walked carefully across the dock, behind one of the workers, and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Excuse me..."  
  
"Yes, miss?" an older voice asked; the worker turned and smiled to Reilena, his face deeply tanned. Reilena smiled politely in return.   
  
"I was wondering if you'd be able to point me in the direction of the beach?" she asked. His smile widening to show white teeth, the worker pointed across the pier.  
  
"Just follow that ramp toward town. There'll be a sign at the corner, though you'll be able to see the beach before then, and you can either walk the path or just jump down into the sand," he replied. Thanking him, Reilena jogged down the dock; sure enough, a street sign on the corner read "Pier/Beach." Laughing under her breath, Reilena leapt down the path, landing on the sand, and brushed her pants off, cursing herself for dressing so warmly.  
  
"Then again, it's not like Sector 5 is ever this nice," she muttered to herself as she sat down on a stone step to pull off her shoes. She held the shoes in one hand and walked over the hot sand to the shore, smiling as the tide waved lazily in and out, wetting her toes. Reilena tossed her hair over her shoulder again, taking her time walking the shoreline, and waved when she saw Aerith running down the beach, her long mahogany braid flying after her. "Aerith!"  
  
Her older sister clamped her hands on her shoulders, staring at her wildly. "Reilena Ayn Gainsborough! Where the hell were you?" Aerith cried. Reilena glanced up at the sky, chewing at her lip guiltily.  
  
"Well...I was uh...at the dock?"  
  
"Still?" Aerith asked. "Why?"  
  
"I was waiting for Rufus and Heidegger to depart," she answered; immediately Aerith shook her, the worried look on her face replaced by one of anger, and she rolled her eyes, waiting for the lecture.  
  
"Reilena, don't you know what could happen if they find us? You and I will be used as experiments, and the others will be killed!" she chastised. When her sister rolled her eyes, Aerith sighed, shaking her head. "Look, Rei...I'm worried about you, okay? First you're plagued by these nightmares...then we saw you with Sephiroth again, after all those years...and now here you are, taking silly risks! I don't want to lose you!"  
  
"You mean you don't want to lose Cloud," Reilena retorted, wrenching out of Aerith's hands. Aerith stared at her, wide eyed, and Reilena nodded. "I'm not stupid Aerith - it's obvious that both you and Tifa have a thing for Cloud, so please don't try to deny it. You haven't acted this way since..." She stopped, eyes wide.  
  
"Since when, Reilena? Finish! Since when?" Aerith snapped; Reilena shook her head, jabbing behind Aerith.  
  
"Look...look at that," she said slowly, a trace of fury in her tone. Wiping at her eyes and forehead quickly, Aerith turned; immediately she gasped.  
  
"Oh my...is that...?" she asked. Reilena nodded, her gaze narrowed, and she started toward the man in the beach chaise. Before she got too far, she spotted Cloud out of the corner of her eye and sighed; Aerith was already motioning him over. He strode across the beach, still fully clothed, and gave Reilena a stoic glance before turning to Aerith.  
  
"What is it?" Aerith pointed to where she and Reilena were headed; Cloud looked over, his eyes widened slightly when he saw who it was. "Is that man over there...is that Hojo?"  
  
"No, it's friggin' Father Time," Reilena snapped. "Of course it's Hojo! And I'm going over there to talk to him."  
  
"Not alone, you're not." Cloud walked up alongside her, matching her stride for stride; Aerith was behind them, and Cloud leaned close to Reilena, speaking in a low tone. "We'll discuss why you weren't at the gathering later." Reilena snorted irritably, and she, Aerith, and Cloud stopped short of Hojo; a crowd of women were seated around him, seemingly entranced. Cloud tapped one woman on the shoulder, and she threw her hair over her shoulder snobbishly.  
  
"God! What do you _want_?" she asked, ignoring Reilena's snickering and Aerith's astonished gaze. Cloud gestured to Hojo.  
  
"I...we want to talk with that man," he replied. The girl rolled her eyes with an exaggerated air, and turned to Hojo.   
  
"Professor Hojo!" she whined; he glanced at her with a smile, his dark hair slicked back into a shiny ponytail; he wore sunglass shades over his regular glasses. The girl pointed at Cloud, Reilena, and Aerith. "That scary man says he wants to talk with you."  
  
"He does now, hmm?" Hojo replied. The girl nodded, and Hojo shook his head. "I'm busy right now." Grinning, the girl turned back to the trio.  
  
"Too bad!" she chirped; as she turned back to Hojo, however, the scientist shook his head again, waving a hand.  
  
"No, I remember you all now," he said. To the girls, he said, "Go on - I need some time with these people." Amid their whines and sighs, Hojo sat up on the chaise and folded his hands on his torso, glancing over Cloud and the Gainsborough sisters with a knowing smile. "It's been a long time, Cloud."  
  
"Hojo."   
  
The scientist chuckled, spreading his arms to indicate the women at his sides. "Sometimes you just gotta do something like this, right?" he chuckled good-naturedly. Confused, Cloud glanced about; behind him, Aerith and Reilena rolled their eyes.  
  
"What _are_ you doing?" he asked.  
  
Hojo dropped his arms, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "It should be obvious," he replied, emotionless. "I'm getting a tan." He went to lean back in the chaise when Cloud reached forward, grabbing Hojo's collar. He yanked the scientist close and glared into his glasses.  
  
"Answer me!" he growled. Hojo glanced behind Cloud, at the Gainsboroughs, and chuckled. He picked Cloud's hands off of his collar and rested back in his chaise with a mere shrug.  
  
"I believe we're all after the same goal." Bewildered, Cloud glanced back at the women; Aerith shrugged, while Reilena only bowed her head. Hojo laughed under his breath, readjusting his glasses.  
  
"You mean Sephiroth?"  
  
Hojo shrugged again. "Did you see him?" Cloud was silent, and Hojo glanced behind him, at Aerith and Reilena. "Well, _did_ you?" he asked. Aerith was silent; Reilena's head remained bowed, refusing to look Hojo in the eye, though he noticed her tense fists, and smiled. "I see..." he began; out of nowhere he laughed out loud, and the trio glared at him simultaneously. Reilena spoke before Cloud.  
  
"What is it?" she snapped. "What's so damned funny?"  
  
"She speaks, hmm?" Hojo replied, removing his glasses so as to wipe at his eyes; he glanced at Reilena before replacing his glasses, noticed a shiver run through her, and nodded once. "Nothing. I just remembered a certain...hypothesis," he continued. Cloud stepped up then, a fist before him.  
  
"What is it, Hojo?" Hojo shook his head, folding his hands once again, and sat up straighter, speaking in a lowered voice. "Don't you ever get the feeling something is calling you? That you had to visit some place? Or maybe..." he glanced at Reilena pointedly, "visions of someone that you feel a connection to for an unknown reason?" Reilena gasped, a hand clapped over her mouth, and Hojo grinned; Cloud stepped before Reilena protectively and glared down at Hojo.  
  
"I'll go anywhere Sephiroth is at!" he said determinedly. "To beat him and put an end to all of...this!"   
  
Hojo only stared at him. "I see...this could be interesting." He glanced over Cloud's uniform. "Were you in SOLDIER?" he asked. Cloud nodded, eyes narrowed, and Hojo chuckled. "Would you like to be my guinea pig?"   
  
"Bastard..." Cloud growled, reaching behind himself; Reilena already had one of her Mythril daggers drawn. Hojo gave a bored sigh, throwing his arms in the air.  
  
"Oh, so now you're all going to draw your weapons?" he asked. In retaliation, Cloud and Reilena snarled; before they could make a move, Aerith laid her hands on their shoulders, shaking her head.  
  
"Stop it Cloud! Reilena!" she argued. "I know how you both feel, but you mustn't do this...at least not now." Cloud grudgingly dropped his hand, but Reilena still clenched her dagger. Aerith dropped her hand to her sister's, gentle. "Please, Rei," she whispered. "Please don't cause a scene here, now." Reilena glared at her sister - Aerith saw the shine of tears in Reilena's eyes - and then Hojo, sheathing her dagger loudly.  
  
Hojo laughed. "How perfectly convenient...say, aren't you two the Ancients?" he asked, turning his attention back to the Gainsborough sisters. Aerith nodded, the only calm person in the group, and replaced her hand to Reilena's shoulder; the younger sister refused to meet Hojo's glance.  
  
"I'm Aerith, and this is my younger sister Reilena." She sighed, shaking her head. "The least you can do is _something_, Professor Hojo...Rei and I know we're Ancients. Our mother told us."  
  
Hojo's eyes widened, interested. "Your mother? Oh, you mean Ifalna. How is she?" he asked casually.   
  
"You didn't know?" Aerith asked, confused.  
  
"She died," Reilena snapped quietly. Hojo nodded slowly, rubbing his chin.  
  
"I...see." Aerith glanced over at her sister - Reilena wiped at her eyes harshly - and turned back to Hojo.  
  
"Professor Hojo...is Jenova an Ancient? Is Sephiroth an Ancient? Do we all have the same blood?" she asked imploringly. Reilena finally raised her face, and watched Hojo closely; the scientist was still rubbing his chin, talking under his breath. Cloud strode up again, about to grab Hojo again, when Aerith held him back, a hand on his chest.  
  
"...head west..." Hojo mumbled; he stared up at the sky thoughtfully, talking to himself, and the trio regarded him irritably.  
  
"He's mumbling slowly...that has to mean he's hiding something," Aerith said, turning to both Cloud and Reilena. Behind them, Hojo still thought aloud, low enough so that they couldn't hear, and Reilena shoved past her sister and Cloud. Grabbing Hojo by the shoulders, she glared at him, not caring if she did start crying or not. He knew about her visions...knew about Sephiroth...he had to know about herself and Aerith as well.  
  
"_Answer us_!" she screamed. "_Answer our fucking questions! You know, don't you_?" When Hojo didn't answer her, Reilena shook him harder. "Damn you bastard, _answer us now_!"  
  
A hand on her shoulder, heavier than Aerith's; it pulled her back, forcing her to drop Hojo, and she hung her head angrily, wiping at her eyes carelessly. Aerith stepped between Reilena and Hojo, and hugged her sister tightly. Reilena leaned her head on Aerith's shoulder, letting herself cry out her frustrations, as Cloud stood behind her.  
  
"It's no use, Rei...it's no go. He won't answer us," he said in a quiet voice. Reilena stepped back from her sister, sniffling still.  
  
"But he knows! He knows something..." Cloud shook his head, keeping a calm tone as he spoke with Reilena; Aerith stood at her sister's side, an arm across her shoulders.  
  
"Rei, even if he does know, he's not going to tell us right now. The best thing for us to do is regroup at the hotel, rest for the night, and get back on the road again." He watched her closely, waiting for a response; when she nodded, he glanced to Aerith. She nodded as well, and Cloud turned. "Then it's settled. Meet back at the hotel in a few moments. I'll go get Yuffie, Tifa, and Red."  
  
"Red's already there," Aerith replied. "I left him sleeping underneath the rafters."   
  
"Tifa and Yuffie?"  
  
"Tifa...was in the clothing shop across the street. Yuffie...I haven't seen her in awhile."   
  
"Thanks." Cloud waved, and started back to town; Aerith waved in return, and glanced over at Reilena. She looked out over the ocean once again, but this time her face was full of sorrow rather than giddiness, and Aerith dropped her eyes to the sand.   
  
"Rei...I'm sorry," Aerith whispered. "I'm sorry about that...I know you wanted to..."  
  
"You know nothing." Slipping underneath Aerith's arm, Reilena walked on ahead, her shoes slung in her pack. She wiped at the last remnants of her tears again, ignoring her sister's cries behind her as she climbed up the steps to the town square. _It's true...you don't know, Aerith. You think you do, but in reality, you know so very little_.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
_A dark, damp room - it felt like an underground chamber, perhaps a basement of some sort. Whatever kind of room it was, it was cold, and Reilena hugged herself futilely, pressing on.  
  
There were four boxes in the room; as she peered into one opened box, she saw the lustre of human bones, an arm over the edge, and swallowed her fear. She was in a room of death; a quick glance told her that two more of the coffins were open, their skeletal residents forever sleeping inside.  
  
The fourth coffin however, was still sealed.  
  
She gripped her pendant in her hand, oblivious to its blood-red glow, took a deep breath, and walked to the closed coffin in the middle of the room. Raising a hand, unaware of her intentions, Reilena knocked on the lid of the coffin. A small noise from within - a cough, perhaps? - and the lid burst off, revealing the form of the person inside just before he leapt out. Startled, she leapt back a step, watching him as he stood on the very edge of the coffin; his arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked down at her with piercing scarlet eyes...  
_  
"Rei...Reilena, wake up!"  
  
With a start, Reilena sprang forth, eyes wide, sucking in big breaths of the cool night air. She reached down her throat, glanced down at her pendant - it still shone silver - and finally looked around herself, realizing her place.  
  
Tifa sat beside Reilena, her brown eyes worried underneath her tousled brunette mane. Aerith was standing on the opposite side, wide-awake, clutching her sister's hand tightly. At the foot of the bed were Yuffie, Red, a yawning Barret, and an emotionless Cloud. Blinking, Reilena glanced between her best friend and her sister as Aerith brushed her knuckles along Reilena's forehead.  
  
"What's goin' on?" she asked, surprised at the trembling in her voice.  
  
Tifa shook her head, laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Just a nightmare, that's all," she replied. "Don't worry about it though - your sister an' I were the ones who went around waking everyone up." A glance at Aerith - she nodded, patting Reilena's pillow gently.  
  
"Lie back and relax," Aerith whispered. Yawning, Reilena obeyed, and laid down; Aerith glanced up at Tifa, nodding toward the others. "Would you mind excusing us for a moment? I'd like to talk with my sister alone," she said quietly. Tifa took one look down at Reilena, and nodded.  
  
"No problem." Standing up, she fixed the collar of the oversized t-shirt she wore, and went over to the men first. "C'mon guys...it's girl-talk time," she said in a low tone. Barret didn't need to be told twice; he stifled another yawn as he waved and walked out, closely followed by Yuffie, who almost appeared to be sleepwalking. Red leapt down from his spot on the foot of the bed and nuzzled Reilena's hand gently; after she'd ruffled his mane, the beast plodded out of the room, following Yuffie.  
  
Cloud stuck behind, keeping his stoic gaze on the Gainsborough sisters. Something wasn't sitting right with him about Reilena; he suspected that she knew much more about Sephiroth and his whereabouts than she was willing to disclose, and he was determined to find out what it was. He sighed under his breath and leaned against the doorframe, watching Aerith and Reilena closely.  
  
Tifa glanced at her childhood friend curiously, following his gaze, and waved a finger in front of his face, causing him to jump. "Eavesdropping isn't nice," she chastised softly, and thwacked Cloud's shoulder lightly, pushing him toward the door. "Get a move on."  
  
"Hmph." Cloud turned on his heel and stalked out without a word. Confused, Tifa blinked twice after Cloud shut his room door, and then shrugged halfheartedly.   
  
"Whatever..." One last glance at the sisters, and Tifa tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind her; since Aerith and Rei needed some time, Tifa figured that she'd stay with Yuffie for a little while. _Let the girls talk awhile_, she thought. _They need it...especially after this afternoon. Seeing Hojo again probably shook 'em both up_. She raked a hand through her thick hair, and knocked on Yuffie's door, smiling tiredly when the young ninja girl let her in with a yawn. 


End file.
